Living For You
by Harvzy
Summary: Who knew that the real world alone could be more challenging than a virtual death game? Read as Kazuto Kirigaya and Asuna Yuuki brave their futures, together.
1. Reconnected

**A/N: Kirito x Asuna fanfic, their adventure starts very shortly after Asuna wakes up from the prison that is ALO. Major fluff warning!**

* * *

 _Chapter 1: Reconnected  
_

He had been to this room every single day since ever he had adjusted to real life, no, even before then. Even when his body was still underweight, scrawny, and weak, he had somehow pushed himself everyday to visit Asuna in the hospital. Kazuto Kirigaya stood up from the bench that sat outside the rehabilitation room, raising his cheap watch to check the time. As it changed to 12:00 PM, he gripped the sliding door handle and gently pushed it to the right, making sure not to cause a loud slam as it opened all the way.

Sitting in the room was Asuna Yuuki, who had just finished her vigorous rehabilitation session for the day, not including the half hour of physical therapy she was instructed to perform at home for even quicker recovery. Her body was thin and frail, it had only been two weeks since she awoke from her long sleep, which had been over two years. Even so, Kazuto had thought to himself for the hundredth time, she was still the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and will see. Her long, flowing hair had been ragged and lumpy on the day they met for the first time in real life. due to it being ruffled in the stationary NerveGear helmet. However, after a haircut three days later, it flowed gorgeously down her back. Upon first sight, Kazuto was reminded of the first time she had fully exposed her beauty, when Illfang had slashed the red cloak off of her petite figure.

Asuna sat in an armchair not far from the door, panting harshly with her eyes shut, beads of sweat dripping from her forehead. Her rehab had been much more intense, due to the fact that she had woken up over a month after the other survivors and had to catch up on school work. Kazuto remembered how hard it was to watch her barely being able to lift a glass of water or struggle trying to walk along a set of railings. Although she had progressed far since her awakening, it was still tiring and exhausting nonetheless for her.

Knowing she would probably be too overworked to speak for a couple minutes, Kazuto entered the room and knelt beside the chair Asuna sat in. He encircled her fragile body with his warm, black coat, squeezing her as close to him as possible without hurting her. He gently rubbed her back in hopes to slow her breathing and rapid heartbeat.

"Easy," Kazuto whispered in her ear. "It's over now."

Asuna rested her head on his shoulder, now feeling much more relaxed knowing that her beloved was there beside her. Kazuto took out a small, white cloth, and repeatedly pressed it against her forehead, dabbing at the sweat that was dripping from her exhaustion. Finally, she managed to utter a quiet voice.

"Thank you," she exhaled, slowly pressing her lips against Kazuto's neck before pulling away for breath.

"Anything for you," He whispered, rubbing circles around her slowly relaxing back. "You did great." He planted a kiss on her nose, now resting on his collarbone.

That day had been designated for walking and running, the day of rehab Asuna was looking forward to the least. She had spent the past two hours running and performing leg strengthening exercises on treadmills and stationary bikes, eventually making her back ache as well. It started to loosen up however, as Kazuto gently rubbed it and took away some of the pain.

"Feeling okay? Are you in any pain?" Kazuto asked, concerned for her well being as always.

"I'm okay, just really tired... I think I'm going to rest for a bit," she barely managed to make the second part audible.

Kazuto carried his girlfriend-which they had confirmed only recently, since they could obviously not refer to themselves as married anyone-across the room and onto the hospital bed, carefully laying her head down on the pillow. He pulled the covers over her curled figure up to her shoulders, and sat at the edge of the bed. He leaned over to plant a silent kiss on her forehead.

"Rest for a bit, we can go when you're awake. I'll wait right here for you," he said in a soothing voice.

Now that Asuna was permitted short leaves from the hospital under the nurse's consent, Kazuto had been taking Asuna to spots nearby for the past two days. Only today did the nurse trust Kazuto's judgement on how long she could handle being out, as he had explained how important her well being was to him. 'No more than two hours,' Kazuto reminded himself.

At about 1:30 Asuna was awake and alert, breathing much less rapidly, to Kazuto's relief. Her eyes fluttered open, to see him sitting at the edge of the bed smiling. Once she was ready, he planned to take her to the park on a lunch date. However, he had been slightly concerned with the bitter weather, so he brought along one of Suguha's thick winter coats.

Kazuto looked at his precious beloved, who was now sitting upright and rubbing her eyes, smiling. "Morning sleepyhead, ready to go?" He said in a calming voice.

After remembering their plans, Asuna yawned and moved her legs to the edge of the bed, still a bit sore but not as much as before. "Mm..." She opened her eyes. "Sorry for keeping you waiting."

"No need to apologize, I love watching you sleep." Kazuto responded with a goofy grin. It was one of the many things Asuna found intriguing about him, the fact that he could say something so endearing so casually.

If it weren't for the fact that Kazuto had been saying those types of things to her ever since she woke up, she would be blushing like mad. She scooted towards him to plant a kiss on his left cheek, to which he responded by wrapping his left arm around body and gently squeezing.

"Alright, I'll go change and we can leave," she said as she slowly stood up. She was able to walk at this point, but would often have to stop and lean on something to catch her breath. Kazuto wrapped an arm around her waist to support her slightly wobbly legs, slowly making their way to the bathrooms.

As she slowly undid the tie that held her hospital robe in place, Asuna thought to herself. 'I love him so dearly, he goes through so much trouble for my sake... I should make it up to him when my strength is back.' She grinned as she slipped on her pink shirt, and the navy blue jacket that Kazuto had brought so she wouldn't be cold. It wasn't the fact that anyone loved her so dearly that made her heart so warm. It was the fact that it was Kazuto who loved her.

About five minutes later, Asuna's hair was combed so all the frizzy curls had disappeared. She stepped outside to see Kazuto sitting in a chair, who was at this point marveling at how perfect she looked. He stood up and wrapped an arm around her again, making sure she was steady and able to move again.

"So, where are we going today Kirito-kun?" He still found it a bit odd that she was still calling him by his avatar name, but realized he probably would have a hard time calling her a new name as well, if it weren't Asuna in-game as well as in real life.

"Well... I thought we could walk around the park nearby and have some lunch together... I mean, if you're feeling up to it." Although he was fully aware that she could probably handle less than two hours of walking in leisure, he couldn't help but ask for her sake.

"Don't worry, I'll manage just fine as long as we can take some breaks every now and then." She replied, knowing how he was always prioritizing her health above all things.

"Alright, just don't push yourself, and please tell me whenever you need a break." Kazuto rubbed her shoulders as they stepped outside into the world-the real world.

* * *

The crisp air brushed the couple's face. In one of Kazuto's arms was a basket, carrying sandwiches and vegetables that Suguha had packed for the that morning. In the other was the shoulder of his beloved girlfriend, whose arm was also wrapped around his waist. Although he knew she could walk fine as long as they went at a slow pace, he had requested that Asuna would at least lean on him a bit. She honestly couldn't tell if it was because he was genuinely concerned, or just liked the feeling of being needed. It didn't matter much to her however, as she accepted either way because of his warmth.

Although it was chilly, Asuna couldn't help but take in the beauty nature had to offer. No snow was falling at the time, which just made the white blanket covering the park stand out even more. It was her first time actually walking in the park since she had woken up, and she had been patiently waiting for permission from the nurse. However, she was somewhat familiar with the paths, as most of her time in the hospital room was spent gazing at the park from above through her double windows.

Kazuto on the other hand, had walked in this park plenty of times, before and after SAO. In a sense, he didn't appreciate the scenery Asuna did. "Geez, why couldn't we have beaten Heathcliff in the summertime..." He unconsciously muttered.

"Oh come on, don't ruin the moment for me, this is my first time here!" Asuna said jokingly.

"Right, sorry, let's take a break over there." He pointed to a small wooden bench, obviously made to fit only two or three people. Letting go of Asuna, he sat down on the bench and she plopped down to his left. He opened the basket that held their lunches and handed her a deliciously colorful sandwich. 'I really need to repay Sugu for this,' Kazuto thought to himself. The two lovers savoured their meals, crumpled the wrappers, and placed the basket on the ground. For them, life could not get much better, especially now that they had learned to not take small things-such as delicious sandwiches- for granted.

Asuna leaned her body onto Kazuto's shoulder, and Kazuto leaned his head on her's. Nothing made him happier than knowing that she was safe, and finally getting used to reality again. But something weighed heavily on his mind, and he let out a sharp exhale.

"Kirito? Is something wrong?" She lifted her head, wearing a slight look of concern. "We can head back if it's getting too cold..."

He immediately responded in an attempt to get her out of any worried state. "N-No, I was just... Nevermind."

"Okay, if something's bothering you let me know." She placed her head on his shoulder again, but now this started to bother her. He would always tell her when something bothered him, most of the time in a form of complaining, which she didn't mind as long as he was being honest. But the only reason he would keep quiet like that would be if it was a more concerning thought. Something like SAO or ALO... Just the thought sent a chill down her spine. The first thing she always thought of when someone mentioned ALO was Sugou and his unacceptable experiments, not to mention- Her thought was cut off by Kazuto, who had been poking her cheek the whole time. "Hello? Asuna, you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine!" She exclaimed, waving her hands frantically. She looked down at Kazuto's watch that now read 1:45. "I guess we should head back now." She sighed that this view would once again only be seen through a glass view.

"Don't be upset, we can come here more often when you're officially discharged." He grinned, making her that much more excited to be done with rehabilitation. He pressed his forehead against hers, slowly but eagerly leaning in to meet her lips. They were warm and delicate, something he had found to be different than the ones in Aincrad. 'Those were artificial feelings, artificial reality,' he thought. He knew this feeling was certainly no series of ones and zeroes. Asuna felt the exact same way as his warm mouth drowned out the crisp air that had been sending chills across her knees.

Their lips parted, both of them feeling the need to breath. After a couple seconds, Asuna looked deep into his onyx orbs and closed her eyes. "Thank you for saving me, I love you so much." She brushed her nose against his.

"I love you too... I would do anything for you... You know that, right?" He closed his eyes as well, entwining his fingers with her own.

"Of course I do, my hero." She was now smiling from ear to ear, savouring the warmth his hand emitted in the midst of the winter breeze.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed, this was my first ever experience at writing a fanfiction, with many more to come! Stay tuned for chapter 2, which will be released shortly! Feedback is greatly appreciated as well as plot ideas :D**


	2. Reality

_Chapter 2: Reality_

The brisk air blew at Kazuto's face once again. His watch now read 2:00, the end of visiting hours for the day. No matter what, he always made time to visit Asuna, especially on the weekends. Entering the hospital's public garage, something still weighed heavily on his mind, but he couldn't figure out exactly what it was. During their lunch date, he experienced a sort of deja vu, bringing back a bad memory.

Sachi. The name hit him like a nail to the heart. The snowy forest scenery had reminded him of that lonely Christmas Eve, where he fought Nicholas The Renegade to retrieve a revival item. Bring back Sachi. The one he had promised to protect until the very end. However, he was devastated to find that the item could only be used 10 seconds after the death of a player, the time it took for that murder weapon to fry the player's brain in real life. Of course, he could never mention a word of this to Asuna. How could he ruin the moment she had been waiting for so patiently? He would hate himself for making her associate the blanket of white powder with one of his bad memories.

So, Kazuto suffered as a stoic. He could very easily ask Asuna to massage his shoulders or rub his back and take some of the tension, but he knew it might cause her some unnecessary pain in the wrists. So for the next few visits, he remained more silent than usual, only talking if she asked him a question. Of course Asuna could read her boyfriend's thoughts like a book, and knew something wasn't right. It had to be something at least decently heavy to return him to his old nature-aloof and lonesome. "Come on Kirito, what's the matter?" She asked, pushing him for an answer this time. "You've been acting strange all day and I know there's something wrong."

He figured she would notice eventually, but still hoped she would brush it off as nothing. He also knew she wouldn't let this go so easily, so he gave her the truth, but in a way that would not make her worry. "I guess... Our lunch date the other day just reminded me of the snowy pine forests in Aincrad."

Slightly disappointed, Asuna knew that wasn't all he was thinking about. He had always been randomly mentioning different things about real life that reminded him of that virtual world, but none of them made him so glum like he was now. "That can't be all... You never act this way, especially since I got back." She replied with a hint of concern.

Kazuto hated to ruin the view of the park she had been looking forward to that day, but he knew how stubborn she could be when it came to expressing himself. "I-It's just... It reminded me of Sachi and the revival item. That's all." He ended his sentence very abruptly, signaling that he did not want to talk about such a memory.

Asuna knew Kazuto's heart belonged to her, and vice-versa. But this Sachi girl he would speak of from time to time, eventually made her somewhat upset. She very well believed Kazuto when he reassured her that there were no romantic feelings or anything, but Asuna didn't like how thinking about Sachi made Kazuto feel... depressed. She sat upright in the hospital bed and stroked his back with her right hand, knowing he was hurting inside. With her left hand, she pulled his head in towards her chest, just as she had done when he first revealed his secret about Sachi after joining the Knights of the Blood Oath. This time, Kazuto's right hand didn't set itself back down on the sheets, it embraced her warmth and hugged her shoulders. He marveled at how caring and understanding she was, even when he had refused to talk all day.

"It's okay...I'm here for you." She whispered into his ear. "None of it is your fault. You were just wanted to be accepted like everyone else in the world." As he felt her fingers run through his jet black hair, Kazuto shut his eyes and lowered his shoulders, as if a large weight had been lifted off of them. They stayed there for about ten more seconds, until finally Kazuto lifted his head.

"Thanks... I guess I've just been feeling tense about this whole thing. After all, we can't change the past..." He gave a weak half smile, Asuna relieved that he was feeling better. His eyes were starting to fill up with color again, to her joy.

Asuna had been scheduled to be discharged from the hospital in only three days. After that, it was up to her to train and regain weight at home. "When this is all over, we can be like a real couple." Kazuto had promised her. Once visiting hours were over, he slung Suguha's coat over his shoulder and exited the building. 'Each day is colder than the last...' Kazuto thought to himself. He suddenly felt another sense of deja vu, remembering the words he had spoken to Lisbeth in SAO. "You don't get cold if you're disciplined," He shrugged as the words replayed in his mind, feeling like a huge hypocrite now.

He hopped on his dark blue bicycle. He had only recently re-taught himself to ride it, after two years of using teleport crystals for transportation. "Teleport: Home!" He joked silently, wishing it could still work that way.

* * *

That night was not what you would call 'relaxing' for Kazuto. He could see Sachi in the other corner of the dungeon's room, red lights flashing to no end, blue and green lizard-like monsters with large armored suits slashing away at the Moonlit Black Cats. As each one of their health bars went from red to nothingness, they screamed out at Kirito. "All your fault! You lying monster! Traitor!" He distinctly remembered Sachi's voice, echoing in his mind. "Y-You... You promised..." She whimpered, as a mob struck its massive blade diagonally down her back.

"No! Sachi! SACH-"

Kazuto bolted upright, knocking the blanket off the bed. His body was shaking like mad, panting rapidly. Eventually, he calmed down, realizing it was just a nightmare. "That's the second time already..." He muttered under his breath, recalling last night's shock that almost made him fall off the bed.

He knew it was his fault, but he accepted it, as the past cannot be changed just like that. Asuna's comforting words and consoling had soothed him, which was the reason he was able to fall asleep in the first place. So why did he feel so broken? What did he do to deserve these nightmares, that keep telling him not to forget? Did he not deserve to get over this, did he deserve to live with this burden forever? Kazuto sighed, and pulled the duvet back onto the bed, wrapping himself inside the little warmth it had to offer now.

"You only forget things if you're meant to forget them." He recalled the words that had come from Asuna's beautiful voice over the phone-no, her beautiful heart, and drifted off to sleep for the rest of the night.

* * *

That morning, Suguha felt very alive compared to the night before. She had snuck out with some friends in her class to a dojo, where they sparred with timber bamboo swords and foam pads. She returned home undetected just before midnight, and fell into a deep sleep. Luckily, most of the schools in the area had given the students a few days off due to the constant decreases in temperature and snowstorms.

Her kitchen blade sliced through the bright red tomato, then she placed it into a bowl of colorful salad. Suguha had recently learned about her big brother-no, cousin's- love for Asuna's lunches, so she had started putting extra effort into what she cooked for the two of them. All of a sudden, she heard footsteps from across the room, when a hunched figure with a black long-sleeve shirt and sweatpants slowly made his way down the stairs. "Geez, someone didn't sleep well last night." She giggled, hoping to wipe the unsure frown on his face off.

"Sorry Sugu... Homework and procrastination don't mix very well." He closed his eyes and let out a sharp exhale, realizing he had just made that up to cover the unsettling nightmares that kept him awake.

"Big brother... You should learn to do your work when you get home... At least while you're at the hospital with Asuna." She let out a small sigh at the name. As much as she respected her and Kazuto being together, there would always be an inevitable hint of jealousy, but she had learned to hide it better overtime.

* * *

For the next two days, Kazuto spent his two hours with Asuna in the afternoon, until finally she was officially discharged on the second evening. Because of the fierce rehabilitation and eating schedules, her strength was almost fully restored by the end of that week, and she would start going to school after the weekend. They traveled around their hometown everyday, marveling at all the new buildings and attractions that had been implemented during their time in SAO. The only new feature that bothered them was the cemetary that had been built, specifically for those whose lives had been taken by the death game. A chill ran down her spine seeing the engraved messages-The victim's full name, as well as their avatar's, if provided by one of the survivors. Those who were unknown to any survivors were simply left blank.

Suddenly, it occured to Kazuto that people he knew may have been among these exclusive cemetaries, scattered throughout the country. Even if this one only held less than two hundred victims out of the four thousand, it was very possible for one of them to have lived nearby. 'Diabel.. Corbatz.. Godfree... Sachi.' Once again, the thought hit him like a slap across the face. No matter what, he really couldn't escape the thought of her. As the couple stood hand in hand outside the fenced perimeter, he could feel tears welling up inside, using his free hand to wipe away the few that managed to escape.

Asuna had turned to look at him when she heard a weak sniffle, and squeezed his fingers tighter, acknowledging that she understood his emotions. How much he missed those who perished under the system.

Little did she know, his pain and grief would not be going away anytime soon.

* * *

 **A/N: Apologies for the slightly sad cliffhanger, and the partially unnecessary clips from Kazuto's days. Read the next chapter coming soon to find out what happens!**


	3. Confrontation

**A/N: So sorry for the delay in releasing this chapter! I hope you enjoy, and feedback is once again appreciated! -Harv**

* * *

 _Chapter 3: Confrontation_

Kazuto's nightmares continued for a while longer. Each one of the same twisted flashback, each one he woke up covered in sweat and panting uncontrollably.

On the fourth night, Suguha had been getting suspicious. In morning, she had tiptoed into his room to wake him up for breakfast, only to see Kazuto panting and turning from side to side. The three nights before that, she could hear him moving around and ruffling the covers just after midnight. Finally, on the fifth morning, Suguha decided to consult Asuna about his strange behavior.

Asuna, who was only half-awake and brushing her hair at the time, jumped with a start as she heard the loud ringing of her phone. Usually, the only people who called her often were her parents and Kazuto. It surprised her to read 'Sugu' as the caller. They were fairly good friends and always talked whenever she stayed at their house, but other than that they rarely interacted.

"Morning, Asuna!" Suguha exclaimed. Asuna never understood how Suguha and her Kazuto were even related; he probably wasn't even close to awake by this time, considering it was a Saturday morning.

"Oh, hey there Sugu." Asuna gave a cute yawn, one of the many things people found adorable about her. "Did you need something? It's not like you to call this early."

"Ah, right..." Suguha mumbled, slightly embarassed at how little thought she had put into this discussion. "I was actually wondering about Kazuto, has he been doing okay? I-I mean, you were the first one that came to mind, but I think he's been having nightmares recently."

"N-Nightmares?" Asuna was now fully awake. She'd noticed how distant Kazuto was being this week, but figured it was best not to intrude on his personal history. Sometimes Asuna would recall a bad feeling from her time imprisoned in ALO and Kazuto was there to comfort her, but she knew it was in Kazuto's nature to be stoic about bad memories. He usually returned to his normal, loving self by a couple days, however. To think he had been suffering day and night, without anyone to reassure him, caused a pain in her chest.

"Yeah," Suguha continued over the phone. "I noticed he's been moving around and sometimes making loud noises in his sleep, it's been going on for four nights already." She explained.

Asuna slipped on a pink skirt as she spoke. "Thanks Sugu, I'll talk to him about it. Your brother doesn't like making people worry over him, even if it means hiding his distress, but I'm sure I can find a way to console him." She hoped what she just said was possible. All Asuna could think about was how sorry she felt for not being there for Kazuto before.

"Okay, I'll wake him up and tell him you're coming over soon!" Suguha said excitedly as she rushed up the stairs and down the hall. "Bye bye Asuna!"

"G-Goodbye Sugu!" Asuna stuttered, not realizing Suguha had wanted her to go over right after their conversation.

* * *

Darkness. Kazuto took a step forward, only to realize he walked directly into a wall. The stone bricks lit up, various patterns of lines surrounding him in a box shape. Suddenly, a red light emitted from the center, flashing on and off. Lizard-like monsters popped up in a circle around him, their raspy screeches echoing throughout the void. Just as Kazuto drew his Elucidator and Dark Repulser from their sheathes, he heard a voice call out from behind him.

"Kirito, help!" Kazuto whipped around and saw-not Sachi- but another girl he had promised to protect until the end.

"Asuna, no!" He screamed, dropping the Elucidator onto the concrete tiled flooring. He reached his arm out as far as possible, trying to grab Asuna's hand and pull her away from the massive blade that was being forced down by a monster. His hand missed hers by mere inches, he fell to his knees as the blade struck her diagonally across the back, dropping her health bar all the way to nothing.

In the end, Kazuto wasn't even strong enough to save the one he loved more than anything in existance, and tears poured endlessly out of his now colorless eyes.

* * *

Suguha stopped just outside Kazuto's bedroom door, panting from dashing up the stairs and through the hallway. She leaned her back against it, catching her breath. Through the door, she could hear Kazuto squirming under the covers, tossing and turning in his prison that was sleep. It occured to her that maybe Asuna was the one that should wake him up for a big deal like this. After all, Suguha's usual wake up methods involved using pillows as projectiles.

She sat lying down on the sofa, watching a drama-comedy, when the doorbell rang. She rushed to greet Asuna, who looked extremely exhausted.

"H-Hey Asuna, that was quick!" Asuna leaned against the doorframe, catching her breath before speaking. "...Hey, Sugu... W-Where's Kazuto? I ran all the way here when my parents refused to drive me..."

"Um, he's upstairs, I think he's having a nightmare right now actually, so I figured you should be the one to comfort him when he wakes up." Sugu said to her own disappointment.

"Thank you!" Asuna bolted past her and up the stairs, then even faster down the hallway. She slowly opened Kazuto's door, and sat on the bed next to him. He was twisting and turning, wearing a scary looking face, as if he was in a fight with somebody.

She nudged his shoulders over and over again, trying to snap him out of his deep sleep. "Kirito! Kirito, wake up, please!" She pleaded. Kazuto body shot upright, tears that had been held back now flowed out of his wide opened eyes.

He felt a chain of emotions. First he felt terrified of that image of Asuna's health bar, then confused as to where he was. He stared at Asuna's eyes that seemed to almost be tearing up, then looked down her hand that covered his right wrist.

"Thank goodness, you were having a bad nightmare and I couldn't stand to see you thrashing in your sleep like that..." She said, blinking her tears away. Kazuto finally managed to slow his breathing to where he could move, and Asuna was suddenly wrapped tightly in his arms that were around her shoulders.

"You're okay, you're okay... Thank god..." He said again and again as his voice cracked from crying, tightening his grip. Asuna returned the embrace with just as much love. "Mm... I'm okay, I'm right here with you." She whispered in his ear. "It was just a dream, it's okay now..."

She pushed him away a small distance to press her forehead to his, she stared at him sobbing uncontrollably and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hey, look at me Kirito."

He opened his eyes to be warmed by her smile and shining chestnut eyes, filled with nothing but love and comfort. She used her thumbs to wipe away the tears that had now stopped.

Suddenly, an overwhelming sense of warmth spread throughout his body as Asuna rubbed his back gently. His breathing slowed, as he continued to lock gazes with her. Kazuto rested his head on her chest and gave a heavy sigh of relief.

* * *

That afternoon, Asuna brought Kazuto to a therapist. She wanted to know why his nightmares had taken such a horrific turn. First it was Sachi and the guild that he couldn't save, but now Asuna? She wanted to get to the bottom of this, and the only way to do that was to see the only other person Kazuto shared his whole past with.

The sliding door opened, and a tall, young woman stepped outside. She wore a nurse's outfit, but Asuna knew she was much more than a rehabilitator to Kazuto. She outstretched an arm to shake the hand of Nurse Aki.

"It's a pleasure to meet you again, I didn't think you would want to see this place again after the BoB Tournament." She let out a sigh and lead them to the private room. Kazuto and Asuna sat beside each other on a long sofa, Nurse Aki sat directly across from them with a cup of oolong tea.

"Thank you for letting us visit today, we realize it's not during your official working hours." Asuna felt bad for taking Nurse Aki's break time, but it was for a good reason at the very least.

"Of course, after all, it would be hard to find another person that could understand the situation." This was true, all three of them thought. Nurse Aki was one of the many volunteers that offered to counsel the SAO survivors. However, Kazuto had a distinct past that no other counselors knew about, and he wouldn't waste time trying to explain it end to end. "Now, what brings you here today exactly?" She continued.

"Well... Kirito here has been having nightmares from his time in SAO, specifically of his first guild... You wouldn't happen to know of a way to stop them do you? They've been occuring for almost an entire week..." Asuna looked down in confusion, trying to think of a way to stop them herself.

"I was afraid something like this would happen. Kazuto, if you wouldn't mind, I would like you to step outside for a while so I may explain the situation to Asuna here." Kazuto, after not having said anything since their arrival, hesitantly agreed knowing that Nurse Aki probably had a good reason to request such privacy. He stood up and closed the door on his way out.

Now only Asuna and Nurse Aki sat in the room with a tense atmosphere. "W-What do you need to tell me that Kazuto can't hear? Doesn't this concern him?" She spoke with worry for what was to come.

Nurse Aki frowned and looked at her teacup. "As his girlfriend, would you be confident saying he has told you everything about his past, and how he feels about those events?" She stared directly at Asuna, who was now conflicted.

"No... No I wouldn't. He has told me some things about his time in SAO, but I get the feeling there are still feelings he's hiding. Do you think that's what is causing the nightmares?" She realized that maybe he was having the nightmares because all his feelings were bottled up inside and refused to leave.

"Well," Nurse Aki sighed. "In that case, I would like you to make a decision. I can tell you my gut feeling about why this is happening, which is what I think is the most likely cause. However, this is something you must share with Kazuto, and it may lead to a rough path ahead."

At this point, Asuna didn't care about what was going to happen, she just wanted Kazuto to stop suffering and go back to his normal self. "Tell me what you think, I will share it with him when we leave."

Nurse Aki placed her teacup on the short table in between them. "Very well." The words that Asuna was about to hear would pain her heart for a long time.

"I believe that Kazuto suffers from severe depression."

* * *

 **A/N: Ooh, intense cliffhanger! Check out the next chapter coming soon to see how Asuna could possibly break the news and how they begin to cope with it! Thanks for reading! -Harv**


	4. Coping

**A/N: Hello readers :) I have finally developed an official schedule for chapter releases! I want to make the story last, so new chapters will be released every Saturday at 12:00 PM EST. In return, I will put much more effort and length into each chapter for sure. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 4: Coping_

Kazuto sat hunched over on the couch, elbows on his knees. He knew the nightmares and his history were far more than bad, but depression? To be quite frank, when he thought about it, there were some times he thought about killing himself over the grief. But he knew that wasn't an option at the moment. Despite those uncertain thoughts, his undying love for Asuna was what strived him to keep going. The thought that he was at least somewhat important to her, that he promised to never leave her, was one of the few things that held him together for the time being.

Asuna walked in to the living room with a glass of water in one hand. In the other was a bottle of anti-depressants that Nurse Aki prescribed herself. He had been sitting there for an hour, trying to grasp the situation. It pained Asuna to see him in this state, he seemed so distant and lost. She sat next to him and shook the bottle so two pills came out. She opened his hand to place the glass of water in and the other she dropped the two pills into.

"Take this, it will make you feel better." Kazuto continued to stare at the television across from them, even though it was off. He placed the two pills on his tongue and swallowed them with the water, and let out a sigh as he finished the glass. He leaned back onto the pillow and looked down at his hands. "Asuna..." He mumbled quietly.

She was a bit shocked to hear his voice. He had not said anything since she broke the news about his depression after her talk with Nurse Aki. 'I figured that was the case,' Kazuto had said with a low voice. "Y-Yes Kirito? Are you feeling okay?" She replied with concern.

"You... You won't leave me, will you? It's just, I wouldn't be surprised if you did, considering the state I'm in." He turned to face her, eyes tearing up. Asuna was as well, only one thought running through her mind. Never once had he thought so low of her love for him, even if she got irritated with him. His thought process was so off that he couldn't even be confident that she cared for him.

She cupped his cheeks and pressed her forehead against his, using her finger to lift his head up to look at her. Asuna saw the desperation in his eyes, one that pleaded for help. "I won't leave you, no matter what. I can help you get through this, but only if you let me." She whispered with what Kazuto thought was the voice of an angel.

Kazuto wrapped his arms around her back, gripping her tightly. He rested his chin over her shoulder, Asuna ran her fingers through his hair. "Please Asuna..." Tears started to flow down his cheeks thinking about what he needed to say. "Please... Please help me... I don't know how much longer I can take all this pain... You are the only thing stopping me from committing suicide right now. Please don't go away..." He gritted his teeth and squeezed Asuna even tighter. Hearing those words made her do the same. She had suspected he was hurting a lot, but would never have imagined him with suicidal thoughts. She pulled his head into her shoulder. "Shh, it's okay, I won't leave you, I'm right here..." He continued to sob, as his words ran through Asuna's head. 'You are the only thing stopping me from committing suicide...'

She turned her head slightly to look a the clock on the wall. It read 10:00 PM to her relief. "It's getting late," She whispered into his ear. "Come on, let's go to sleep. You're probably just stressed out, you should get some rest." Really, all she wanted was for him to fall asleep so he couldn't do anything to hurt himself without thinking first. They slowly trudged up the stairs and into Kazuto's room. She wrapped an arm around his waist and gently sat him on the bed. He lifted the covers and placed his head on the soft pillow. Asuna lied down next to him and nestled her head into his warm shoulder.

Later that night, Asuna was half-asleep, in her efforts to stay awake longer than Kazuto so she could assure his safety, but to no avail. "Asuna? Are you awake?" He whispered. Her eyes fluttered open and she let out a yawn.

"I'm awake... Did you need something? Are you feeling alright?" She mumbled, lifting her head to look at him.

"N-Nevermind... I'm sorry for waking you, it's nothing." Kazuto replied, his eyes down.

She let out a sigh, knowing what he really felt. "Come here," Asuna pleaded as she wrapped his arms around him and rubbed his back. "I won't let you have anymore nightmares, okay? I'm right here for you, I'll wake you up if you start having one."

Those were the words Kazuto had been wanting to here for the longest time. Ones that could let him rely on somebody to care for him when he was hurting. He dug his head into the curve of her neck and closed his eyes. Once Asuna heard him snoring peacefully, she closed her eyes as well, thinking to herself. 'All this time... All this time, has he been suffering alone with nobody to comfort him?' Tears clinged to the corners of her eyes, she wiped them away and continued to caress his shoulders as he rested. 'Why does he have to suffer, both during the day and the night? He never even mentioned this before, almost like he thinks he deserves to suffer alone so much...' Her eyes drifted down to the sleeping figure in her arms, and she placed a kiss on top of his head. 'No... He never deserved to suffer like this... Why him of all people? He saves the lives of so many, he always cares for me and comforts me when I feel down. Why does this have to happen to him of all people?' With that, she stayed up for another half hour, making sure he was not experiencing any nightmares in the only time his mind could be at peace.

* * *

"...Rigaya. Kirigaya!"

Kazuto's eyes drifted open as he stared at the tall figure standing in front of him.

"Kirigaya, we are in the middle of a class! Now is not the time for naps!"

After a moment of realization, his posture shot up straight and dignified. "Y-Yes sir! Sorry sir!" Kazuto exclaimed at the furious teacher.

"Right... Now who can read chapter 12 for us?"

It was 10:50 in the morning. Kazuto had barely gotten any sleep last night due to the episode he had with Asuna. 'Geez, how did I even make it through the first class?' Kazuto wondered to himself as he slumped back down into his seat.

Asuna had been staring at him for the whole class, worried about how much he had slept the night before. She could see his head constantly bobbing awake before it slammed onto the desk. She wanted to give him a flick on the head, but was sitting three rows away from him. Asuna felt quite bad for him to be honest. Not only was he so disturbed, but now the teacher was picking on him too. It would probably effect his grades as well if things continued in this way.

" _Tick, tick, tick..._ " Both of them were staring at the clock, dying to hear any sound other than this monotone old man reading a classic novel. Sitting a few desks behind Asuna was Rika Shinozaki-AKA Lisbeth- fidgeting like mad and waiting for lunch period which was next.

At this point, most of Kazuto's friends and family knew about his condition, especially Rika and Klein. Kazuto was hesitant to say anything to his friends that morning when him and Asuna were getting dressed. "W-Well, maybe it'll blow over eventually..." He had suggested, not wanting to make any of them worry over him.

"Dummy! We have to tell them, Nurse Aki even said that support is the best medicine for this kind of thing!" Asuna replied with a harsh but genuinely caring tone.

"Gah... Fine. But don't make it sound like I'd kill myself at any moment." He mumbled, both of them fully dressed in their school uniforms now.

"D-Don't say that... Please." He could see tears clinging to the corners of her eyes, realizing the mistake he just made. "I don't like you saying that so casually."

"I, I'm sorry... I'm just stressed out and tired. I really shouldn't have said that." He looked down in shame, but Asuna walked over and tipped his chin up with her finger and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Just don't say that stuff okay? It makes me worry..." She brushed her nose against his. Soon, Kazuto had pushed forward to kiss her deeply. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her gently, making the kiss more intimate. After a few moments, Asuna pulled away for breath and dug her nose into his chest, listening to his soothing heart beating away. 'Please do not let this noise ever fade away...' Asuna thought to herself. She turned her head up to look at him.

"Let's go, we need to get to school soon." She said, grasping his hand.

"Y-Yeah. Alright." Kazuto replied, disappointed that their time alone was coming to an end.

Rika inconspicuously glanced at Kazuto, chin resting in his hand. A week or two ago he looked awake and alert, unenthusiastically but willingly soaking up knowledge. Now, he looked like he wanted to collapse, eyes half shut and yawning into his hand every minute. She felt pity for him, especially after hearing from Asuna about his depression. The first word that came to her mind was 'blackmail,' as she loved to tease them and embarass them in public. But Rika quickly wiped those thoughts away knowing how serious his condition was to her. She continued to stare at Kazuto's empty expression until suddenly...

" _Brrriiinnnngg_!" The clock reached 11:00 and Kazuto eyes shot open, jumping in his seat. Asuna and Rika chuckled at his response, but regained themselves after remembering what had caused his lack of awareness in the first place. They grabbed their bookbags and school tablet and walked into the hallway, waiting for Kazuto to come out so they could walk to their favorite lunch spot together. When several seconds passed, he still did not emerge from the sea of students. Finally, the hallway cleared, and they peeked through the door to find him sitting in a desk, the teacher standing directly in front of him.

"Do you realize how disrespectful this is!? The right place to sleep is home, not at school in the middle of the lessons I prepare for you students!" He boomed at an ashamed Kazuto.

"Y-Yes sir... I understand. I apologize for my behavior." Asuna looked closely at him. There was no fire or life in his eyes, to her sadness.

"If I catch this happening again it will affect your grades young man!" He shouted as Kazuto exited the room and closed the door behind him.

"What's that guy's problem!?" Rika bursted out, giving an evil scowl to the teacher through the window.

"Forget it... Let's go outside." Kazuto said with a quiet voice, eyes still focused on the ground.

Outside, cherry trees blew pink petals around the school property as the three friends made their way to a bench that sat just outside the cafeteria. Kazuto leaned his head onto Asuna's left shoulder, exhausted after only half the school day. "K-Kirito..." She nudged his head with her shoulder. "Lunch only lasts for half an hour, you should at least eat before you take a nap."

"Eh, I don't feel like eating, give my sandwich to Rika..." This made Asuna worry. He had not eaten breakfast that morning, and now he wasn't even the least bit eager to eat his favorite sandwich? Rika looked over at the two and sighed.

"Wow, and I thought I was tired. Not enough sleep?" She asked with a hint of concern. "I was up reading a book and only ended up getting six or seven hours of sleep, what 'bout you Asuna?"

"Well... I was up with Kazuto, maybe seven hours at the most?" She looked down at her significant other, who looked dead asleep, but she could tell he was awake because his thumbs still rubbed the back of her hand.

"Ah... Doing something naughty I bet...?" Rika chuckled. Asuna blushed furiously, while Kazuto rolled his eyes with his eyelids shut. "Nah, nah, kidding. I can only imagine the stress you must be under kid." She gave a half smile and continued to gaze at his slumping figure.

"Uhm, Kazuto... How much sleep did you get really?" Rika asked out of concern. "Same as Asuna I'm guessing? Maybe a little bit less?"

"Try one hour." He said, leaning further into Asuna's shoulder.

"W-What!? Kirito why didn't you say anyth-!?" Asuna shouted, forcing him to open his sluggish eyes.

"How in the hell can you function on one hour of sleep? Teach me your ways!" Rika interrupted, receiving an ice cold glare from Asuna. "R-Right, sorry, heh. But seriously, one hour? How did you manage to stay awake during your first class?" She continued.

"Uh... The first class wasn't as boring, I guess? It was still exhausting though..."

Asuna felt his body grow limp as his eyelids closed and he finally drifted off to sleep. She let out a sharp exhale. "What am I going to do about you..."

* * *

 **A/N: Sorry for the weak ending, but I'm not going to make the end of every chapter a cliffhanger x3 Thanks for reading, if you have a scenario or scene you want implemented do message me about it! There is also a poll on my page for who will get hurt soon, so vote on it!**


	5. Author's Announcement

_**NOTE: This is not a chapter that develops the story, it is an announcement from the author of this fanfiction, Harvzy.**_

Hello readers! I am very glad to see that this story has almost reached 1,000 views! I feel guilty for not continuing the story every Saturday as I promised I would, so I would like some feedback. The story itself does not have many followers or favorites compared to others, but I want to know if you guys would like me to continue writing via the reviews section. Just a simple "Yes" or "No" will suffice :). If enough people want me to keep going with the story, I will post a new chapter every Saturday at 12:00 PM as I said in one of the previous chapter's _author's notes_. If nobody wants me to continue and this is just a boring story to you guys, I will focus on a new one(still based on Sword Art Online). Thank you very much for reading and supporting, please comment your answers! I have a lot of ideas for this fanfiction, but if nobody is willing to read it there is not much of a point :P

-Harv

Update: Thank you all for the positive input. I will surely continue writing. Next chapter will be released as scheduled.


	6. Dinner

_Chapter 6: Dinner (Kazuto's POV)_

I squinted as the bright light flooded my vision. I was covered in a warm and fuzzy blanket, with a soft pillow cushioning my head. Directly across from me was a television, and a coffee table. I tilted my head slightly to see my beautiful girlfriend, rubbing my shoulders gently. It would have been heaven if this could go on forever, but there was still a bit of curiosity stirring within me as I realized this was the living room, not my bedroom.

"Morning sleepyhead!" Asuna's cute voice piped up.

"Hgh... Morning Asuna. What time is it?" I replied, stretching out my arms.

"7:00, you slept like a rock."

I flung off the bed in a hurry, wide awake. "S-Seven!? We're going to be late for school! Why didn't you wake me up earlier!?"

"Dummy..." She muttered. I looked out the window, realizing what she meant.

The color outside was a dark blue along with the white shine from the moon.

"Oh... 7:00 PM... I see."

I glared down and observed my outfit. It was the same uniform I wore everyday to school, minus the tie and suit jacket, which Asuna must have taken off for my comfort. "H-How long have I been sleeping?" I asked, feeling embarassed over my freak out.

"Just over five hours, ever since we got back from school. You were too tired to walk upstairs into your bedroom, so I tucked you in on the couch instead." She blushed at the last part of her sentence. "You really shouldn't go to school on one hour of sleep you know."

"Y-Yeah, sorry about that... Wait, have you been here the whole time?" If Asuna was watching over me ever since I fell asleep, her parents must have been worried sick.

"Mhm!" She nodded. "I asked your aunt if it was okay, she said to stay as long as I wanted to!"

"What about your parents?" I never got along well with Asuna's parents-especially her mother- so having them learn she was here instead of eating dinner would not turn out well.

"I sent them a text after school, and they said it was okay for today, but..." She mumbled the last part.

"But what? What else did they say?"

"Erm... They want you to come over to our house and eat dinner together this weekend." She gave a weak smile so that I couldn't be mad at her.

"Oh, shi-"

* * *

Once the weekend rolled around, my depression was still lingering, but after seeing Nurse Aki for counseling and Asuna's frequent consoling, I managed to keep it under control. Sometimes I would get stressed out by homework or have a bad nightmare, but Asuna was always there. Any thoughts of suicide were dulled for the most part, but I got the feeling Asuna had told all of our friends to not say anything or make any dark-humored jokes that might stir up unhealthy emotions.

I stood outside the Yuuki residence in awe. They had a mansion that was at least three times the size of our house. You'd think I would have noticed it from only living a few blocks away, but I rarely entered this part of the neighborhood before meeting Asuna. I nervously rang the doorbell, and heard footsteps almost immediately.

"Ah, good evening Kirigaya."

A petite woman opened the door. She wore a dark red suit jacket and her hair was short with an even cut straight across. Her eyes looked serious and cold, I imagined they were not exactly having a good evening themselves.

"G-Good evening Mrs. Yuuki!" I put on the best fake smile I could muster. She stared daggers into my soul as she refrained from smiling back.

"Right this way young man, dinner is ready."

I hung my coat on the rack neatly and sat at the dinner table. Asuna's father, Shouzou, sat at one head of the table, while her mother was on the other end. Asuna sat to my left, both of us holding hands underneath the table cloth.

Asuna seemed to be fidgeting around, giving nervous looks to her mother, then her mother shooting looks back at her and I. At first I was confused, but then realized why both women felt so tense.

One wrong sentence, and it could spell the end of our relationship.

This was clearly my first time dining with both of her parents alone, and I knew very well by now the reason they disliked me. Or at least, disliked me as Asuna's boyfriend. I was sure they were aware of my history and my situation right now. No real parents, living with my aunt and cousin, clearer of SAO, depression, the list goes on and on of what Asuna had probably been forced to tell her parents about me. Not to mention I did not come from a rich family or company that could easily support the two of us. Maybe, however, this dinner was a chance for me to prove my worth.

"That was a lovely meal, thank you for inviting me over." I said, trying to use the most formal tone possible.

"You are welcome Kirigaya. Although, Asuna is the one you should be thanking for the main dish." Asuna's mother replied. Was that a hint of a smile I saw? Meanwhile, Asuna was blushing as she always did whenever someone complimented her. I chuckled, then squeezed her hand tighter.

'Alright, things are going smoothly so far. Only about a half hour more.' I thought to myself. I imagined Asuna was thinking the same.

Suddenly, the father, Shouzou, spoke for what seemed like the first time that night. "Kirigaya, apologies for going off topic, but I would like to talk about Sword Art Online. What did you and my daughter do exactly in-game?"

I figured that one of them would ask that eventually, considering I was a teenage guy who had just turned sixteen. Not to mention females were scarce in Aincrad, especially extraordinary ones like Asuna. I gulped, hoping my voice could form the appropriate words.

"W-Well... We didn't do anything very 'serious,' after all I didn't get to know her too well until the last few months in game." I left out that I had proposed to her and the incident that occurred the second time I visited her apartment. If they got around to liking me, we could talk about Yui as well. I squeezed Asuna's hand that seemed to be fidgeting more and more.

"I see." Shouzou continued. "That was all I wanted to know, thank you for answering."

I sighed with relief, then turned slightly to look at the digital clock mounted on the wall beside Asuna. '6:25,' I thought to myself. 'Midori will be here any minute to rescue me from this place.'

Asuna saw me glance at the time, then stood up and grabbed my coat in a hurry. "L-Look at the time! Midori should be here soon!" She practically yanked me out of the chair and pushed me out the door, following behind closely. I waved my hand and yelled a final thank you, before she shut the door and let out a sharp exhale.

"Well, what'd you think? I thought it went fairly well…" She looked relieved as well.

"Yeah… At least you used your head for once…"

I frowned slightly, before leaning against a stone brick wall on the driveway. She continued speaking. "Sometimes it's hard to tell how they're feeling. My parents don't exactly express emotions very well, like your family…" She closed her eyes and furrowed her brows. "It's like living with a bunch of masked strangers."

I looked at her eyes once she opened them. They seemed to be filled with a sort of sorrow and desperation. I used my finger to tilt her chin up to stare at me.

"Don't worry about it," I grinned. "It went fine, neither of us did anything wrong." She gave a radiant smile back.

Asuna caught me off guard when she leaned in to plug her beautiful pink lips with mine. We had kissed countless times before, but it was as if each time we did, we reconnected in a strong way. I wrapped an arm around her waist as our bodies grew closer, pushing me up against the wall. She ran one hand through my hair and the other cupped my cheek. I used my other hand to pull her in closer around the back of her head. The whole world seemed to diminish around us, we were the centers of each other's universe.

Her hand moved from my cheek to my chest and leaned her weight on it gently. Once we were out of breath she pulled away from the heated kiss to rest her head in the curve of my neck, using her fingers to play with the fabric of my shirt's collar. I lightly squeezed her towards me and kissed her forehead, stroking her long, flowing hair.

"I wish the world could just let us be…" She whispered with a smile. "Then we could spend every moment together, not worrying about other peoples' approval…"

I rested my chin atop her head. "That would sure be nice… If only we had met under different circumstances, then maybe no one would have a problem with us being together."

"Well, I wouldn't say that." I glanced down at her closed eyes, slightly confused. "It's like our bond grew much stronger than most couples' do when you think about it. How there was a real need to protect each other and fight for what we thought was right." I wondered in awe at how strong she was. Most of the SAO survivors would have chosen to throw away their past and forget everything about that prison. "If I had the option to forget about all of that, and instead just have grown closer with you here, I wouldn't."

I inhaled, taking in her sweet scent. "You're absolutely right. I wouldn't have it any other way." We continued holding each other, before I noticed a bright light pulling into the driveway.

We exchanged a quick kiss before she pulled her weight back onto the ground and waved at Midori. Suguha was in the front seat of the car as well, she seemed to be pouting about something.

"Bye, Asuna. I love you."

"Love you too, hun. Tell Sugu and your aunt I said hi!" She let go of my hand as we parted ways.

In the car, Sugu just stared at me frowning. "I just lost five Yen because of you!" She looked behind her seat at me.

"E-Eh?" I stared in confusion.

Midori piped up from the driver's seat. "Told you they would be kissing when we got here! Pay up Sugu!"

I slumped back in my seat with a red face as both of them continued giggling all the way down the block.

* * *

 **A/N: See y'all next week with chapter 7, thank you for reading! -Harv**


	7. Disapproval

_Chapter 7: Disapproval_

Midori's black minivan pulled into the spacious driveway a few moments later. Kazuto pushed himself away from Asuna's embrace and planted a kiss on her forehead. He slung his coat around his back and stepped into the vehicle as Asuna watched it get smaller as the distance between the couple increased.

Both of them were satisfied that nothing had gone wrong during the dinner. Asuna stepped back into her house, where her mother was cleaning the dishes and her father was reading the news on his tablet.

Her mother, Kyouko, broke the silence. "What do you see in that boy?" She said with a stern tone.

"W-What? What do I see in him?" Asuna stuttered in confusion.

"You heard me. What makes him different than the men we have presented to you? If anything, he could not possibly provide for you, not to mention he does not even have a job yet."

"Mother, wealth plays no part in my love for him." She gave a glare to Kyouko as she sat down on the dark red sofa.

Shouzou, still looking down at his device, joined in the conversation. "How could he make you happy then? When was the last time he bought you anything?"

Asuna grunted and folded her arms. "H-Honestly..." She mumbled. "Money isn't everything you know. What matters is that we look out for ea-"

"He must be able to provide for you, Asuna." Kyouko barged in. Besides, you do not know his intentions, he may just be with you for the wealth."

Asuna's temper started to boil. "That is not true! We started dating in SAO, before he knew anything about me!"

"Well in that case, how do you know he is not just a desperate teenage loser looking for a girlfriend to brag about?"

Asuna shot out of her seat and walked up to her mother. She stared daggers into her eyes, Kyouko could barely make eye contact without flinching. " _Never_ speak of Kazuto like that again, or you will regret it." Her voice lowered a frightening amount. Shouzou put a hand on Asuna's left shoulder and spun her around.

"Never speak to your parents that way." His voice boomed throughout the living room. "We will find you a suitable man to support you properly, whether you like it or not."

"I hate you! I hate you both!" Asuna shouted, ripping her shoulder from his grip. Shouzou's arm balled up into a loose fist and smacked her across the cheek, just below the eye. She covered half of her face with her hand, the pain searing and stinging.

"No more arguing miss, now go to your room." He commanded.

Ignoring his commands, Asuna ran across the room and out the door, only wearing a pink shirt, jeans and a white long-sleeve sweater. The snow had turned into a slushy rain over a few hours, the air was brisk and frosty. She put on her school boots and ran to the park two blocks away, where she and Kazuto had walked around during her time off from rehabilitation. She grew exhausted fast, and fell to her knees near a bench at the edge of the property. Cursing herself for forgetting to bring an umbrella, she sat on the bench and dug her face into her knees.

Her family barely interacted in terms of hugging or any sort of physical contact. She only shared hugs with Kazuto and her good friends like Rika and Keiko, so Shouzou hitting her rattled Asuna uncontrollably. She sobbed into her knees, wincing at the pain of her tears running over the now slightly bleeding bruise under her eye.

Meanwhile, Kazuto was on a walk by himself not too far away. He usually took walks everyday just to clear his mind and get fresh air, but he had to go out a bit later due to the dinner with Asuna's family. In the distance, he saw a figure balled up on a bench looking rather lonely. He closed his umbrella so it wouldn't slow him down, and started to run at full speed when he recognized the chestnut hair, drenched and matted.

"Asuna!" He shouted, nearing her figure. She raised her head just enough to see him kneeling in from of her with a desperate look on his face. Her shaking hands were covered by his warm palms. "Asuna, what's wrong? What happened?" He pleaded for an answer.

Still slightly in shock, Asuna's weak voice finally came through. "My... My father hit me during an argument..."

"Where?" He replied, demanding an answer.

She slowly raised her head more to reveal the small, yet painful bruise on her cheek. She winced as Kazuto wiped away the faded dirt and blood oozing from the wound with his sleeve.

"Can you stand?" Kazuto asked after brushing her tears away with his thumbs.

"I-I think so." Asuna gave a small nod and got to her feet, using Kazuto's shoulder as a support. Her body shivered, he realized how distressed she must have felt. He gently wrapped his arms around her back and slowly pulled her head under his chin. Using a free hand, he opened his umbrella again and held it over both of them to stay dry. Asuna hugged his torso tightly and buried her face into his chest. He gently stroked her hair as her body began to shake less.

"It's alright, I'm here now… I'm right here…" Kazuto whispered into her ear as she sobbed quietly into his shoulder. He kissed her forehead over and over again, pulling her in closer when a cold draft crept up on them.

After what seemed like years, Kazuto pushed away slightly and placed his free hand on Asuna's cheek. Her eyes seemed to carry sorrow and pain. "Let's go back to my house, okay? We can get you dried off and figure this out there." He gave a weak smile. "But for now, I don't want you to be in an environment like that."

Asuna gave a small nod. Kazuto lowered his hand to grasp hers, entwining their fingers. As they walked, Asuna leaned her head on his shoulder.

"Don't worry, hun. We'll get through this together."

* * *

Kazuto rang the doorbell before hearing footsteps hurriedly approaching. The door swung open, Suguha stood on the other side wearing a set of red pajamas.

"Where the heck have you been? You said you'd be back within ten minutes! We got worried sick!"

"S-Sorry, can you please just let us in? Asuna's not doing too well." Kazuto replied.

Suguha looked to the right at the girl clutching Kazuto's arm, face buried behind his shoulder. She was drenched and slightly shaking out of anguish. "Asuna?!" Her eyes went wide. "Oh my gosh, what happened to you guys?"

The soaking wet couple stepped through the doorway. Kazuto lowered Asuna on to the sofa and wrapped his jacket around her frail body after taking off her thin sweater.

"I'll tell you later... Right now, could you find some towels?"

Suguha rushed down the hall and opened a closet full of spare towels and blankets. She grabbed a handful and gave them to Kazuto.

"Th-Thanks." Even he was shivering because of how drenched they were. He unravelled the large, blue beach towel and spread it across both of their shoulders. Kazuto then took a smaller cloth and proceeded to wipe Asuna's wound down. A drop of blood stained the white fabric, but that was the least of their worries.

Meanwhile, Asuna was panting for breath, but her body had stopped shaking after the towel and Kazuto's strong arms were wrapped around her. Suguha noticed the wound under Asuna's eye, and hurried to find a first aid kit. While she searched, Asuna leaned her head on Kazuto's shoulder as he rubbed her back in a soothing way.

When Suguha returned, she put medicine on the bruise, making Asuna wince in pain. She put a bandage over it and sighed in relief. The bleeding seemed to have stopped.

After she was mostly dried, Asuna slowly stood up with Kazuto, and she trudged up the stairs to change into a spare set of pajamas Suguha let her borrow.

Once they heard the door upstairs close, Suguha burst out at Kazuto. "What the heck is going on? Did you hit her or something?!"

"N-No!" Kazuto replied immediately, taking his shirt off to put a dry one on. "I guess her family had some kind of argument after I left, she said her father hit her..."

"Woah. What are you guys going to do?"

Kazuto rubbed the back of his head. What were they going to do? He didn't have the slightest idea on how to handle a situation like this, considering he did not even have real parents himself.

"W-Well... One thing's for sure, I don't want her to go back there until they've talked it out... We don't know what could happen if she just showed up tomorrow morning."

Suguha nodded. "Wait, I thought you said on the way home that everything went well at dinnertime?"

Another thought crossed Kazuto's mind as she spoke. "It's possible that her parents were staging an act to be polite... I should've known they still hated me." He sighed and sat back down on the sofa. "Asuna was forced to tell them everything about my depression and how I don't have a job yet."

Suguha packed away the first aid kit and put the spare towels back on the coffee table, just after that they heard footsteps coming from across the room.

"What's going on here?" Midori asked with confusion. "I heard yelling, is everything alright?"

Kazuto shook his head and crossed his arms. "Asuna is having a bad situation at home. Is it okay if she stays here for a bit?"

After his aunt processed the information, she gave a quick nod. "Yes, that's fine, where is she now?"

A moment later, Asuna came down the stairs in dry clothing, leaning on the rail for support. Kazuto swooped in and put his arm around her waist, then sat her on the sofa again.

"Ah, hello Asuna. Are you doing okay?" Midori asked, Kazuto turned towards her wondering the same question.

"I-I'm okay..." She replied quietly. Kazuto could tell by looking at her expression that in reality, she was stressed and exhausted. Asuna wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into the curve of his neck.

Kazuto briefly explained what had happened to Midori, leaving out the unnecessary details. She agreed to let Asuna stay as long as she needed to, as long as her parents knew about it.

"We should get some sleep, hun." He placed one arm underneath her legs and the other around her shoulders, then carried her bridal style up to Kazuto's bedroom. He placed her on the bed and took out another pillow from the closet, so both of them could sleep together.

* * *

That night, Asuna was curled up to his chest, and Kazuto gently caressed her shoulders. "Sorry for all of this happening so suddenly..." She mumbled quietly.

"No no, it's okay, really. What were you and your dad arguing about? I-If you don't mind me asking..." He questioned with concern.

"Well..." She had a hard time starting, but eventually her thoughts formed into words. "I-I guess we were fighting over whether or not I needed a suitor... And..."

"And...? Kazuto looked down at her figure. Tears started clinging to the corners of her eyes.

"W-Whether or not... You still loved me." She dug her face into him. He wiped away her tears with his sleeve.

"And you know I do love you, right?" He asked, waiting for the answer he hoped to hear.

"Mhm..." She nodded. "The way they said it though... It's kind of gotten inside my head..."

Kazuto sighed and wrapped her tighter. He took in her sweet scent that only she could emit. "Then let me get something else stuck in your head. I love you more than anyone, or anything. Since the day we met, always and forever."

As a smile played across her face, she could no longer feel the pain from her wound, and hugged him closer.

* * *

 **A/N: That was awesome to write :D Thanks for reading! -Harv**


	8. Negotiations

_Chapter 8: Negotiations_

Asuna inhaled and blew cool air over the hot tea. She took a sip for a couple of seconds, then placed it back down on the coffee table. Kazuto's living room seemed much simpler than her own, which was filled with electronic switches and an excess of space. His however, had a cozier feel, which Asuna enjoyed every time she visited their residence.

She glanced at the clock on the wall and read 8:05 AM. Although it was the weekend, Asuna was usually not allowed to sleep in, as she was the one who cooked breakfast for her family. Luckily, Kazuto was a heavy sleeper, and did not stir awake when she crawled out of his embrace that morning.

Asuna took it upon herself to cook breakfast for the Kirigaya family as well, in return for their last-minute hospitality. She opened the overhead pantry and pulled out a pan, then walked over to the fridge to take out a carton of eggs. From all the times she had cooked lunch for Kazuto, she knew where most of the ingredients and instruments were.

As she used a spatula to flip one of the eggs over, Asuna felt a pair of arms wrap around her waist, and a head on her shoulder.

"Good morning honey." Kazuto closed his eyes and pecked her neck. Asuna gave a small jump, startled at his surprise. "Whatcha doing?" She turned her head to see a goofy, sleepy grin.

"Just making you guys some breakfast as a thank you." She kissed his cheek and continued to flip the other egg.

A loud ringing interrupted their moment of peace. Kazuto, wanting to ignore it, stayed where he was and hugged Asuna's back. However, a thought crossed his mind that it might be Asuna's parents, so he ran and clicked the phone at the last second.

"Kirigaya residence, Kazuto speaking." He said in a formal tone.

"Hello, this is Asuna's mother." 'Speak of the devil…' Kazuto thought to himself. "I have heard from your aunt that she is currently staying at your home." He could tell she was upset and disapproved of their plan.

"Y-Yes, that's true Mrs. Yuuki. Would you like her to return home today?" Asuna glanced at Kazuto from the kitchen when she realized they were talking about her.

"We would indeed. I am sure she has told you about what happened yesterday. Tell her that my husband is very sorry for what happened, and regrets it deeply. He has been calmed down ever since." He frowned, noticing she did not show any sign of apology herself.

"Okay, would you like to speak to her?" Kazuto asked, thinking they could patch up some things in private.

"Yes please, I have some… Topics to discuss with her." He handed the phone to Asuna, who tucked it in between her shoulder and neck while she continued frying the eggs.

She cleared her throat and sighed. "Hello, mother. I assume you want to speak about the suitors again?"

"Yes, I have an offer to make, that may solve both of our arguments. We are allowing you to continue dating Kirigaya, but in return we would like you to at least give some of the suitors a try, and see if you prefer any over him." Asuna frowned at her last statement, but figured it would be pointless to argue, as long as she could still be with Kazuto.

"Alright, deal. But if one of them tries anything… Funny again, I will not be afraid to reject them immediately." A bad memory played of Sugou and his horrific methods, who was originally a suitor sent by Shouzou.

"Very well. You may come home anytime, your father would like to apologize in person once you do. Goodbye." Kyouko hung up abruptly. Asuna passed the phone to Kazuto, who had been watching her somewhat grim expression the entire time. She dug the spatula underneath both of the cooked eggs and placed each on white plates.

"So, what did she have to say?" He asked, wondering why Asuna gave no hint of a smile during their conversation.

"Well, we made a deal that I could stay with you, but I have to start seeing those suitors and give them a try." She brought both the plates to the table and seasoned them with salt and pepper.

"Oh… I see…" Kazuto trailed off. She knew he didn't particularly enjoy suitors, which was understandable, considering their only goal was to steal Asuna's heart. She walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, then rested her head on his shoulder.

"Except my heart belongs to you, and you alone." Asuna reassured him, smiling. He returned her embrace, hugging her around the waist. "Come on, let's go eat breakfast."

* * *

Asuna returned home that afternoon, to her parents' delight. The second she walked through the doorway, Shouzou bowed his head deeply, startling Asuna.

"A-Asuna… Please forgive me… I did not mean to hurt you last night…" He made no eye contact with her, but raised his head to notice the bandage under her eye.

At this point, Asuna was not sure whether she should be the mature one and accept his apology, or storm upstairs to prove her authority. Instead, she muttered a brief "It's fine," with no hint of a smile, and calmly walked up to her room.

She sighed looking at the large pile of textbooks and folders stacked on top of her desk. While she was 'absent' for the month before, all of the other SAO survivors had been placed in an exclusive school. Students could choose from a limited variety of classes, but Asuna was placed into faster paced core subjects so she could catch up on the work easier. Although she was very academic before, most of the education she received was replaced with the memorization of sword skills, cooking recipes, attack patterns, and the KoB rules. In order to catch up on completely unfamiliar lessons and courses, she was given that entire month's worth of material to study and report on, while going through her everyday classes.

Eventually, it had taken a toll on her mentally, but she did not say anything, not even to her friends or Kazuto. They all knew of the load of work Asuna needed to complete, but she simply told them it was not much to handle. Due to the incident that occurred with her father, she now had only three days to finish a week's worth of assignments.

Asuna studied for several hours, reviewing notes from her classmates and reading almost thirty textbook pages in total. She took brief ten minute breaks, making tea or coffee to bring back upstairs in order to stay energized. She lasted for a while, until the evening rolled around.

The table was filled with loose papers and essay drafts, beside it was a small trash bin overfilled with crumpled papers and empty energy beverage bottles. Asuna's eyes were heavy and her head bobbed to sleep every now and then. She was slumped over the desk, exhausted and overwhelmed. She was about to call Kazuto and finally ask him for some help with the excess of worksheets, but her hand slowly lost grip of her pencil and she rested her head on the desk, drifting into a light slumber.

* * *

"Asuna? You in there, hun?"

Kazuto knocked on the door and leaned his forehead against it. 'She should be awake… It's only 8:00…' He thought to himself.

Moments before, Kyouko and Shouzou had hesitantly let Kazuto into their house, so he could drop off her sweater that was now dried from any rainwater. He was considering bringing it to her during school the next day, but she had not answered any of his texts or phone calls, so he began to worry slightly.

Kazuto turned the doorknob, concerned for why she might not be answering. He stepped inside and looked around her clean and organized room… Except for a corner that consisted of a desk and many piles of papers.

On a wooden chair, Asuna lay sleeping at her work desk, face buried in her elbows. He sighed, glancing at the trash can of empty bottles and realizing what was going on. Steadily, he walked towards the desk and shook her shoulder gently. She groaned in discomfort and turned her head away. 'Ah, geez… No way would she be able to finish her work like this…'

Kazuto only had one option in mind. He placed one arm underneath her legs, and the other around her back, then carried her bridal style onto the bed nearby. He laid her head on the pillow, just as her eyes began to stir open.

"Ka-… Kazuto?" She mumbled, only half awake now.

"Yeah, it's me." He held her open hand and gave a goofy grin. "I'll finish this work up for you, I already know the material anyways. You should rest here for a bit."

She squeezed his hand back. "You… You don't have to do that… I can finish it tomorrow…" Asuna was struggling to stay awake.

"Let me rephrase," he continued. "I want to help you finish this work so you don't have to suffer."

Asuna gave a radiant smile and pulled his hand closer to kiss the back of it. He then leaned in to plant his lips on her forehead for several seconds before pulling away, walking back to the desk.

She had done a considerable amount of work on her own. He reach under the chair to pick up the fallen pencil, then spent the rest of the night remembering the old lessons he had learned a while back, finishing the rest of her papers. Two hours later, he finally wrote a note and stuck it to her finished assignments, then grabbed his coat and headed home.

 _"Asuna,"_

 _"All of your work should be done. In case you don't remember, I put you to sleep last night because I noticed how stressed you seemed. Don't worry, most of it wasn't that bad since I already know the material from last month. Call me when you wake up so I know you're alright."_

 _"Love, Kazuto."_

* * *

 **A/N: Sweet, fluffy endings! Thank you for the hundredth time for reading, stick around for next week's chapter :) -Harv**


	9. Misunderstanding

_Chapter 9: Misunderstanding (Asuna's POV)_

A quiet groan escaped as my eyes fluttered open. Light poured through the window to the left of the bed, and I had to strain my eyes to adjust to the brightness. 'How did I end up here?' I wondered. The last thing I remembered from last night was working on a biology essay, which was... 'Oh right...' I opened my eyes all the way and flipped the side I was resting on to see the brown, wooden desk. This time however, my textbooks and papers were stacked neatly to the side. The trash bin had been emptied of the several drinks I bought the night before to stay awake, and a short note was sitting beside my pencil case.

After reading the note from my beloved Kazuto, my cheeks turned a deep shade of red, vaguely remembering waking up to him kneeling down in front of me. I exhaled sharply, then sent him a text that I was awake, too embarrassed and exhausted.

Looking down at the thick stack of papers, it seemed he had finished my note taking and equations worksheets. There did seem to be a slightly noticeable change in handwriting half-way through, but it was nothing that could be seen without close observation.

Kazuto had mentioned in the note that it was not a big deal because he knew the material, but I still wanted to do something to make it up to him. I placed the papers in their respective folders and carried the books to a shelf. While cleaning, I tried to remember his favorite food, so I could bring it to him for lunch in the afternoon. I trudged out the door, down the stairs, and into the kitchen.

'Well, I guess I can't go wrong with chicken sandwiches.' I smiled, picturing his goofy grin as I handed the wrapped goodie to him. I took out the bread and began to heat up the chicken, until I heard footsteps from across the room. I tilted my head to see my father, looking rather glum.

"Good morning, father." I said with a somewhat edgy tone, looking down at the chicken.

"Ah... Good morning, Asuna. I hope you still aren't upset about what happened." He rubbed the back of his head. I almost felt bad for him, until I remembered what he had done. "Is there anything I can do to make it up to you?"

He seemed desperate to do something for me, so I took a few seconds to think of an answer that might help both Kazuto and I. "Yes, there is actually." I said, wondering if he would actually agree to my request or not. "Let me date Kazuto. That is, if you want me to be happy."

This plan was fool proof. If he denied my wish, that just said he didn't care about my happiness. I continued to glare at him, but I smiled inside at my clever wordplay.

"A-Alright... But you are still going to give those suitors a chance, at least. If you won't do it for me, do it for your mother."

'Yeah, like I would accept for her any more than I would for you...' I muttered to myself, giving a small nod. There was no point in arguing. It's not like I'd actually fall for one of them anyways.

"Good," he fixed his black tie in the mirror, centering it and covering the loose flap underneath. "We will schedule the first one for tonight. Be sure to wear something nice."

'Oh crap,' I thought. 'I have a movie date with Kazuto tonight.'

"Eh- Father? Does it have to be tonight?" I nervously looked back down at the sandwiches I was putting together.

"Yes dear, this has been long overdue from before the SAO incident occurred. Don't worry, you will have enough time to get ready."

Sighing at his misunderstanding, I gave another nod, then packed the sandwiches away to bring to Kazuto's house. I sent a text telling him that I was coming with a gift and some bad news, knowing he would be home. I had been visiting their house often to check up on his condition and making sure there was someone to watch over him.

As I strolled down the sidewalk, I wondered how I could possibly tell him about having to cancel our plans without disappointed him. It was always easier to say that stuff while he was shoving food in his face, but it would hurt nonetheless. I approached the Kirigaya residence's gate and rang the doorbell.

Kazuto stood on the other side when it opened, looking mopish and distressed. I could tell something was wrong with him as he let me in. He sat on the couch with his head leaning back. "Hey Asuna, what is this about a gift and bad news?" He looked over at me in curiosity.

"Well, I'll give you the gift first to start off on a high note." I uncovered the basket and watched his face lighten up more as I handed him one of the treats. "Think of it as a thank you for helping me out last night."

He gratefully accepted the sandwich and began to stuff his face, like he always did with my cooking. This time, he seemed to be less eager, however.

"Well... About the bad news..." I looked down at the ground and folded my hands together. "I have to cancel our date tonight. My dad scheduled a suitor to visit just this morning."

It was heartbreaking to see the look on his face. He looked back down at the sandwich and took another bite, then gave a small noise of affirmation, but I could tell he was extremely disappointed. "Y-You weren't planning anything too special for me were you?"

"N-Not really... Just a walk in the park or something. Don't worry about it." He gave a sad smile, then continued eating. There was definitely something bothering with him, but he obviously didn't want to talk about it right now. I scooted closer to him and leaned my head on his shoulder, one arm hugging across his chest and the other around his back.

"I'm sorry, hun. I really wish we could've gone out on the one day this week that wouldn't be cold or rainy." I sighed as he leaned his head on mine.

"It's alright, we… We can just go on another day when you're not busy. And don't apologize, it's not your fault." He turned to kiss my forehead and a smile played across my lips. We sat there for a couple more minutes, savoring each other's warmth.

"You feeling alright, honey?" I asked quietly, hoping for an answer. "You aren't mad are you?"

"N-No, I'm not mad. I-It's just…" He seemed to be having a hard time forming the right words. "Nevermind. Um, you can ask Sugu later, she can probably explain. I don't feel like talking right now." I rubbed circles on his back, seeing how hurt he was.

"That's okay." I reassured him. "Just let me know if you want to talk okay? The suitor shouldn't be at my house for more than a few hours."

He gave a small nod, then took a deep breath in and out. We pulled away from the embrace so I could unwrap the other sandwich. "Here's an extra for tomorrow since we won't see each other. And don't just horse it down first thing in the morning." I chuckled and saw the playfully disappointed smile on his face. "I'd better get going, I'll call Sugu when the suitor leaves okay?" He nodded as I picked up my white, feathery coat.

We leaned in and gave each other a brief goodbye kiss, then I stepped out into the chilly breeze. I could see my breath clouding the air as I let out an exhale of guilt. I turned back a few meters away to see his glum posture, plastering a fake grin.

* * *

That evening, I was brushing my hair in the mirror to get rid of any knots or loose ends. It felt wrong to try so hard to impress the man, but my father had said how important it was that our families got along. I just hoped he wouldn't actually be into me and shrug off the opportunity.

I thought to myself for a moment. Whether or not this man was rich or beneficial, I would never leave Kazuto for a snob like him. Hell, I wouldn't leave Kazuto for anybody. It made me feel extremely guilty whenever he got jealous seeing other guys hit on me, but he always tried his best to ignore it and have some faith in me.

My train of thought was interrupted when the doorbell rang throughout the house. I quickly walked downstairs to see my father already greeting the guests. The man saw me descending and had a look of awe on his face. 'Oh great, this will be even harder to turn him down.' I rolled my eyes.

"Asuna, I would like you to meet Hideshi. He will be accompanying you tonight while I speak with his parents about a business offer." My father spoke with a professional tone that he only used when trying to impress people.

"Pleased to meet you, Ms. Asuna." Hideshi reached out his hand, and I shook it welcomingly. The two of us sat down in the living room while our parents went upstairs into my father's work office.

"Quite a lovely house you have." He said politely, trying to start a conversation. Something struck me as odd about him. Normally, these type of rich men would act overconfident around me and try to flirt. Hideshi seemed much more humble and relatable. Of course, I still had no strong feelings for him, he was just not as bad as the other suitors I met in the past.

"Thank you." I gave a fake smile, trying to be polite back. "Would you like some tea?"

"If you wouldn't mind, yes I would like some please." He gave a radiant smile as I entered the kitchen and began to heat the water. Once it was finished, I sat back down next to him, making sure to stay a comfortable distance away.

We spoke for a while longer. I somewhat enjoyed his presence, but something still seemed off about his behavior. Most of our conversations were about our family members or things related to my father's work. I was shocked Hideshi hadn't tried to flirt with me yet. Was he not even interested in me?

After a while, I grew impatient. It was five minutes past the time their family was supposed to leave. I didn't dislike their company, but I was eager to call Suguha and talk with her about what had been bothering Kazuto.

Hideshi gave me a strange glance, probably noticing how impatient I was. "Ah, growing impatient I see, dear Asuna?" I was surprised by his change in tone. It had gone straight from sweet to the typical overconfident guy.

"N-No, nothing like that! I was just wond-" My sentence was interrupted by his finger to my lips.

"Shh… I can see you want to speed things up, dear..." His voice sounded even more sinister. Knowing where he was going with this, I quickly slapped his hand away.

"Cut it out, creep. I don't like you in th-Mmph!" Once, again, he interrupted my words. This time, it was with his lips. I struggled to pull away, but he gripped my shoulders painfully strong and pinned me against the arm of the couch.

Suddenly, the door behind us opened. A boy with onyx hair and a dark gray jacket walked in.

'No, no, no, don't turn around Kazuto.' I thought silently, still pinned down against this man's strong kiss. He had probably arrived thinking the suitor had already left.

"Asuna? You here?" He looked around the room curiously. "Listen uh, you forgot your phon-" He was interrupted mid-sentence as his gaze fell upon our scene. I tried to make a noise of discomfort to inform him of the situation, but only a small groan came out due to my lack of breath. Next thing I knew, he was running outside with a horrific face. My phone that he was holding dropped on the carpet with a thump, and the door slammed tremendously.

Using all of my effort, I curled my legs underneath Hideshi's chest and pushed as hard as I could, breaking our contact. Once he had fallen back to the other side of the sofa, stunned, I straightened my fingers and slapped him across the face with a deafening echo. He fell off the couch holding the side of his face, and I grabbed my phone then bolted out the door to chase after Kazuto.

I saw his figure in the distance running at full speed. He was a fair distance from me, so I did not bother yelling, not like he would have stopped anyways. The path we ran on would eventually lead to his house, which I assumed was his destination after seeing all of that.

Unfortunately, my legs were not nearly as in shape as his, so I had to stop and catch my breath not too far from my house. He would probably be home very soon. It was hard to imagine him bursting through the door in tears.

Suddenly, my phone started to ring after I had finally caught my breath. I picked it up automatically, hoping it was Kazuto.

"Hello? Who is this!?" I said, shivering from the cold breeze.

"Asuna! It's Sugu! Please get to our house quickly!"

I started to worry frantically, then picked up my pace again, still on the phone. "What happened!? Is Kazuto with you!?" I could barely understand my own words, they fell out in a panicked mess.

"I-I don't know what's wrong with him. He burst through the door and grabbed a kitchen knife from the drawer, then ran upstairs and locked himself in his room. Please just get over here now!" She seemed extremely panicked as well. My heart raced, I was only a few houses away now.

'Please don't, Kazuto.' I silently prayed as I rang the doorbell in front of the house.

* * *

 **A/N: Longest chapter so far in this story! Check back next week to see what happens. Thanks for reading :) -Harv**


	10. Rescue

**A/N: Double digit chapter and almost 19k words so far, woot! Enjoy, my friendos!**

* * *

 _Chapter 10: Rescue_

She quickly hung up on the phone, approaching the Kirigaya residence. Asuna whipped out a spare key as fast as she could, bursting through the door and into the living room. Not even bothering to speak to Suguha, she stormed up the stairs then down the hallway, catching her breath outside Kazuto's room.

Asuna gently pressed her ear to the door, hearing Kazuto's mixture of sobs and heavy breathing. Tears clinging to her eyes, she desperately tried to twist the doorknob, but it was locked in place.

Taking a deep breath, she spoke through the door, using the most soothing and angelic voice she could muster. "Kazuto? Please... Please unlock the door..." She stood upright again, staring at the wooden wall that separated the two lovers.

"A-...Asuna?" A fragile voice answered a few seconds later. "Is... Is that you?" She could hear slow footsteps making their way towards the handle.

"Mhm, it's me. Just let me in, this is all a big misunderstanding..." Immediately after, the handle twisted. The door stayed closed for a while, as if Kazuto was hesitating. Soon, he had pulled it open all the way, revealing her weak but radiant smile.

After opening the door, Kazuto sat back down on the bed, still staring at her with a hopeless expression. He put his hand on the spot next to him, gesturing her to sit down. Asuna gladly complied. She glanced down to his other side to see the small kitchen blade, glistening in the darkened room that was now illuminated by the hallway light. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close to her chest. Finally, the tears started to spill out of his eyes yet again.

"H-He... He kissed you..." He whimpered into her shoulder, gripping her arm tightly. "I... I'm not good enough..."

She pulled him closer, shaking her head. "You're wrong, that's not it at all. He forced me to, I would've slapped him across the room if I could actually move." A bit of raged boiled up inside her, then shook it off after remembering the real situation at hand.

"So you... You'll stay with me?" He looked up at her, putting a hand on her knee. She nodded charmingly with a smile, her warm chestnut eyes locked with his desperate gaze.

"I will... Please believe me on that." Suddenly, Kazuto began to grit his teeth, tears welling up in his eyes again.

"I, I can't... What if someone makes you happier... What if I drive you away!?" He looked at the ground, reaching to the side to grip the silver blade. Asuna gasped as he slowly brought it centimeters away from his throat.

"You can barely tolerate me, can't you!? I'm just a worthless nothing who will never be good enough!" Kazuto's eyes were shut tightly. His grip on the leather handle was so strong it was as if it could pop at any moment.

Then, a warm sensation engulfed his hand. He loosened his grip and let his fingers go slack. Asuna took his palm in both of her hands and looked at him with tears in her eyes. She gave off a warm smile that could only make him stare in awe.

"That's not true Kazuto." While he was looking deep into her eyes, she seized the moment and slipped the blade out of his hand, then placed it on the sheet next to her and out of his reach. They leaned their foreheads together as Asuna rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb.

After taking a few deep breaths, Kazuto let out a sigh. "I'm sorry for getting so worked up. I should've trusted you more." Asuna tipped his chin up with her index finger.

"It's okay, really. I don't blame you after everything that's happened today." Then, Asuna remembered something from earlier that day. "Hey, do you want to talk about what you were going to tell me this afternoon? I never got the chance to speak with Sugu about it."

He gave a small nod. "Yeah... Um, today was kind of the anniversary of my parents'... You know." He sniffled, not able to speak the final word, 'death'. However, Asuna caught on with what he meant. "I was just hoping we could spend today together and talk about it, that's all."

Asuna felt extremely guilty for having to cancel their date, especially because of how much he needed her there with him. She let him lean on her shoulder and ran her pale fingers through his ruffled hair.

"I'm so sorry for... For everything." She looked down at his slumped figure. Kazuto shook his head and toyed with her hair.

"Don't blame yourself for today, you didn't mean for any of this to happen."

"You want to rest for a bit?"

"Yeah."

Kazuto sat upright again, pulling back the covers. Once Asuna was comfortable underneath, he joined her on the same pillow and pulled the sheets back over both of them.

Asuna gave a slight shiver. Kazuto hadn't realized her attire. She was still wearing a formal top from her meeting with the suitor. The rain water had dried off, but it was was still chilly for her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and pulled her head to his chest, rubbing his arms up and down to generate heat. Soon, she began to shiver less and adjust to his warmth.

Finally, glancing down at the edge of the bed, Kazuto could see the silver kitchen knife, the moonlight reflecting off its metallic surface. He used a foot to kick it off the side of the bed from underneath the covers. It landed with a quiet thump on the hardwood floor.

* * *

A gentle breeze brushed Kazuto's bangs to the side, but he ignored it and continued to walk down the gravel road.

It had been just over a week since he and Asuna had sat and talked things through. The morning after, she had called her parents, who had been alerted of her panic as soon as they heard the door slamming. As for Hideshi, they declined the business offer with his family, placing a restraining order so Asuna would never have to see him again. At long last, Kyouko and Shouzou decided to accept Kazuto and give up on finding her a wealthy suitor.

After a while of discussion with Asuna over the phone, the two lovers decided it would be best to refrain from seeing each other, just to let Kazuto cool down for a bit. Learning about his insecurity with their relationship, Asuna figured the two of them being together might just make him feel more uncomfortable. As a result, they agreed to simply communicate over the phone, and go on a relaxing date the following week.

Today's weather was the best it had been for a long time. The sun shone clearly across the fields, putting Kazuto's mind at ease temporarily. Asuna was thoughtful to pick such a soothing place for their date. No more than a few months earlier, the area's environment was given a protection seal, being one of the only spots near Tokyo that was not yet urbanized by humankind. It made an ideal place for walks, and especially dates.

Thoughts drifted through Kazuto's mind. During his breakdown, he had revealed his biggest insecurities in terms of Asuna, making him ponder.

'I really hope she doesn't think less of me now. I probably just made it sound like I have absolutely no trust in her... I'm such an idio-' His thoughts were cut off by a breathtaking sight. There she was, dangling her legs off a small bench seat, looking down at the orange and white fish in the glistening pond. He stood there, speechless, gazing at her perfection.

"Ah, Kirito!" Kazuto gave a small chuckle. He had come to learn that whenever she was in an unusually good mood, she'd space out and not even think before speaking. Hence, she often would call him 'Kirito' instead of 'Kazuto.'

"H-Hey, it's been a while." He sat down beside her and pecked her on the cheek. Her typical blush began to form; it was their first time seeing each other in person for longer than she had wished.

Asuna leaned her head on his shoulder, he took this as a sign to wrap his arm around her. "I missed you a lot you know." This wasn't something Kazuto expected to hear. Before arriving, he was nervous that she'd either cancel their date and make fake plans, or quite frankly, not show up.

"Y-Yeah. Hey, listen..." Her eyes opened in curiosity as he stopped mid-sentence. He couldn't exactly figure out how to express himself at this point. "Erm, I'm really sorry for freaking out that night. I was just really stressed, then I kind of snapped... I guess. I didn't mean to bother you."

Asuna showed a visible frown. "Dummy... You could never bother me, especially when you're not the one at fault." On that night, she worried this would happen; he had lost a significant amount of self-confidence. She could see the somewhat mopish look he wore, of doubt and regret. "Anyways, don't worry okay? I'm not going anywhere."

He let out a sigh and loosened his shoulders more. "L-Look, I'm sorry if it seems like I doubt your love... It's just been a rough week is all." Kazuto moved one hand across his lap to hold Asuna's, rubbing the back of it with his thumb. "I guess it's just getting harder to know what to believe anymore."

"Hey, you were there for me when I doubted your feelings, so let me do the same." She snuggled closer to him, lacing his fingers with her own. "I love you more than anything."

"Since the day we met..."

"Always and forever."

Something seemed to spark in Kazuto after remembering that night. She had cuddled close to his side, just as hopeless as he was now. That was, until he comforted her, expressing the exact same words they had just recited. A large smile grew on his face, feeling much safer with her. He put his chin atop Asuna's head, pulling her closer, and allowing her warmth to melt away his worries.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading, you're all awesome! I know the story has taken some dark turns here and there, so we'll let Kazuto and Asuna enjoy themselves for a while before getting back into the drama :) -Harv**


	11. Relaxation

**A/N: As promised, we're giving Kirito and Asuna a break from the drama to focus more on fluffy stuff :)**

* * *

 _Chapter 11: Relaxation_

A draft blew through the half opened window around two o'clock. The jet-haired boy was about to stand up from the sofa and shut it closed, but he remembered an important obstacle. The chestnut-haired girl that was fast asleep on his shoulder, mouth ever so slightly parted.

Looking down at Asuna, Kazuto gave a smile and tried to his attention back to the television. If she had woken up to him staring at her with such delight, she might have felt slightly disturbed, he thought.

" _...Witnesses say he entered the building that morning..."_

 _"...Police caught him red-handed...Placed under arrest by the chief officer..."_

 _"...Trial held yesterday...Proclaimed guilty by..."_

He couldn't do it. No matter what, his attention never strayed far from Asuna. He could hear small bits and pieces of the news report, but the sound he adored was her quiet and faint snoring. The sound of her at peace, without worry. The hint of a smile on her lips didn't help his case either.

Kazuto's arm was around her shoulders, playing with her hair while she was snuggled close to him. Once again, he took in the sweet aroma that dulled the rest of his senses. After five more minutes, she began to stir awake.

"Mm... Morning Kazu..." She mumbled, pulling the blanket they shared closer as she felt the chilly draft. "You feeling okay?" Asuna asked out of concern. He didn't blame her for asking, considering how close he had been to breaking the week before.

"Don't worry, I'm doing fine. As long as you're by my side."

"Of course. Always together, just like we promised."

After a few minutes, Kazuto sat up with a strange expression. "S-Something wrong?" Asuna asked sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head. "If you don't like the intimacy I understand... I just feel safer next to you..."

Kazuto's face went pink from blushing before he continued. "I don't know, you just seem really tense whenever you're awake."

Asuna took note of her posture at that moment. Her shoulders were fairly stiff, and sometimes she would unconsciously furrow her brows out of frustration or stress. Kazuto knew how disturbed she must have felt after that night, being assaulted by the suitor and needing to find a way to calm him down over the kiss.

Meanwhile, Asuna was just looking at the ground, frustrated over everything that had upset her within just a week. She looked up to meet his gaze when he placed his hands on her shoulders. "Turn this way." He smiled.

Confused, she obeyed so her back faced Kazuto. He cracked his knuckles and stretched out his hands, rubbing them against her shoulders and neck. She let out sighs and faint noises of contentment as he undid the knots in her posture.

Asuna felt like she was in heaven. For many nights she would not be able to sleep, twisting and turning over the thought of something happening to Kazuto while she was away. All that pressure was relieved when she felt his strong yet comforting hands against her sides.

After he felt the tension in her back finally dissipate, he stretched his arms around her front and hugged her towards his chest from behind. Asuna leaned backwards into his embrace, closing her eyes.

"Whenever you feel stressed, just say something." He placed his chin on her head while she rubbed his sore hands. "I won't let anyone hurt you as long as I can help it."

"Okay, What about you?" The question caught Kazuto off guard.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you didn't look too well back there... I just want to make sure you're feeling better."

Remembering his breakdown, Kazuto hugged her closer and nuzzled his cheek against hers. "I told you, I'm fine, really."

This was only partially a lie. He did still feel a pang of uncertainty within himself, but tried to ignore it whenever they were together. Most of the time, Asuna would always find a way in her actions or speech to shake off his doubt without even knowing.

"Come on, let's go eat lunch. I want to bring you somewhere special tonight."

* * *

Calm, gentle waves brushed over each other in the distance. The moon shone brightly, reflecting off the surface of the sea.

The couple walked hand in hand along the shore. They took their shoes off and placed them next to a decent sized boulder so they would remember where they put them. Other than the two, the small beach was empty, mainly because it was only the beginning of the spring season. However, neither Asuna nor Kazuto cared about the chilly breeze, for it was drowned out by the other's warmth.

"This is beautiful." Asuna gasped, looking above her at the endless sky of infinite stars.

"Think of it as a break from everything that's been going on. I thought it'd be nice for both of us to take one." Kazuto joined her and tilted his head up. He turned to look at Asuna, who was making one of his favorite expressions of hers. Her eyes were lit up and glittery, like a small child seeing the first snowfall.

They continued to stroll down the sandy path. Asuna laughed at how small her footprints were compared to Kazuto's. They spent the night giggling at each others stories from the past, like the time Yui asked how babies were made.

"W-Well what was I supposed to tell her?" Kazuto stammered.

"You really couldn't think of anything better?" She covered her mouth laughing.

"Hey, you were the one that put me on the spot! Besides, you were the one she asked in the first place!"

"Seriously? Babies come from enchanced computer programs? Nerd alert."

"Well what would you have said, hm?" Kazuto gave a devious smile.

"U-Uh, I don't know... S-Something else..." Her face turned a deep shade of red, thinking of an answer to prove her point.

He stretched his arm around her shoulders and kissed her forehead. "Relax, I'm just messing with you. But it's harder than it sounds to answer that question you know."

Pouting in defeat, Asuna wrapped her arm around his waist as they sat down on a stonebrick wall, looking out onto the horizon.

"Watcha thinking about?" She questioned, seeing Kazuto's spaced-out expression.

"Heh," he chuckled. "You."

Letting out a weak laugh, Asuna leaned her head on his shoulder and pecked his neck briefly. He rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand, thinking about their relationship some more.

' _Nothing will tear us apart. I know it now. That I love you more than life, and you love me to the ends of the earth. No parents, argument, suitor, or enemy could drive me away from you._ '

Soon, he could feel her muscles relax, and he heard her cute, quiet snoring once again. Her nose was pressed to his shoulder, taking in her favorite scent in the world; him. Kazuto used his open hand to brush the loose strands of hair out of her face, allowing them to blow to the side with the wind.

She was wearing the warm, protective black coat he lent her from time to time. He could still see the opening Sugou had ripped apart close to the sleeve with his metal blade. Shaking off the frustrating thought, he pulled her closer knowing she was safe and out of harm's way. Cupping her cheek to peck her on the lips while she napped, he leaned both of them back onto the grassy patch behind them, allowing her to happily snuggle into his side. Finally, Kazuto fell into a peaceful slumber, letting her warmth and sounds of contentment engross his thoughts.

* * *

A couple hours later, Kazuto woke up under the infinite stars. Looking down at his side, he realized Asuna was still asleep, mouth only slightly ajar. He knew they would catch colds eventually if they stayed out in the chilly weather, but he also didn't want to wake her from the relaxing sleep she was finally getting. So instead of making her get up and walk, he nudged her gently to tell her to wrap her arms around his neck so he could carry her on his back. She agreed with a sleepy nod. Kazuto hooked his arms under her legs and felt her head lean against his back with weak arms around his front.

After a brief walk but tiring walk home, Kazuto rested Asuna's head onto the pillow on his bed and stretched her legs out. He slipped under the covers and laid down on a seperate pillow, not wanting to wake her by accident. He admired her cute sleeping face from a distance, brushing hair out of her face from time to time.

Suddenly, in her sleep, her eyebrows began to fur more and more. This did not go unnoticed by her black-haired boyfriend. Doing everything he could to make sure she was comfortable enough, he pulled the covers up closer to her and adjusted her pillow. Asuna's eyebrows refused to go slack, and she began mumbling slightly, still in a deep sleep. As much as he hated to admit it, he realized she was probably having nightmares still from the week before.

He watched her mutter incoherent sounds, hoping whatever was scaring her would go away soon. ' _Even after everything that's happened, she still has to suffer? Even in her sleep?'_ He frowned, trying to make sense of what she was mumbling.

Asuna's body began to shake slightly, her teeth gritted and her eyes were shut tightly. Kazuto knew he couldn't just sit and hope the nightmare went away. He snaked his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest. He used a free hand to stroke her back strongly but comfortably.

"It's okay, you're safe now." He whispered into her ear. To his surprise, her tension seemed to disappear a bit, and her shaking began to lessen. "I'm right here with you. I'm not going anywhere."

Kazuto continued to whisper soothing words to her as she slept. Her eyebrows finally went slack and her worried, quivering lips formed into a smile. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around his torso, brushing his nose up to his collar bone. Kazuto buried his face into her hair, letting out a sigh of relief.

"Sweet dreams, hun."

* * *

 **A/N: Three cheers for fluff! Next time we might even find out what Asuna was dreaming about... See you next Saturday. -Harv**


	12. Rumors

**A/N: Sorry, meant to release this earlier. I had a bit of a writers block until the afternoon and procrastinated all week with school work and such :P Hope you enjoy nonetheless, if the writing is a bit rushed, you know why.**

* * *

 _Chapter 12: Rumors_

It was a cool, rainy day once again. Light showers made faint tapping sounds on the concrete as Kazuto and Asuna walked to school. Their morning routine usually consisted of the same actions. The two teenagers would meet at an intersection in the middle of their homes, then head along the sidewalk to school together.

Asuna held an umbrella over both of them because Kazuto came unprepared. "How was I supposed to know it would rain again?"

"What do you mean? It's rained almost everyday this week!" She replied giggling.

"Hey, I was in a rush this morning! Sugu forgot to wake me up again!"

"It's not your sister's job, Kazuto."

Sighing in defeat, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders to make up for his excuses. Although, he did enjoy being alone with Asuna a lot. Approaching the building, they saw Rika and Keiko chatting across the street. Both parties waved at each other, and joined together at the entrance to the school.

"Alright lovebirds! Let's get this day over with so I can tease you guys at lunch." Rika cheered. Asuna blushed and made a noise of discomfort, while Kazuto just gave a long sigh.

This was the teens' second day back from vacation. By now, nasty rumors had been going around about Asuna and the bandage that sat under her eye. Although she was against it, her mother had insisted she wear it for another week so it didn't get infected or injured further.

Students whispered behind Kazuto and Asuna's backs as they entered homeroom. "I heard from someone that Asuna's parents are abusive, that's probably it."

"Are you kidding, I bet it's Kazuto that hit her, and she's just scared to say anything."

"Asuna scared of Kazuto? Don't be ridiculous, she could beat him to a pulp if she wanted to."

Many stories floated around the students' minds, and the couple had already taken notice. To prevent miscommunication, both of them tried ignore it and carry on with their school work.

Kazuto took his seat across the room from Asuna, further from the door and next to the window. He set his bag down, and kept an eye on his girlfriend from a distance. Both of them could make out what was a group of girls and boys were saying in between them.

Trying to be unnoticed by the couple, but to no avail, the students whispered with their hands hiding their mouths. "What if she just fell, or got scratched or something?"

"No way, it was totally her parents. She's was probably talking back to them or something, then they put her in her place."

"That's totally unrealistic. I'm telling you, it was Kazuto, that son of a bitch. After all, he's probably just using her since he knows she's too scared to say anything."

The vicious stories continued for a while longer, and homeroom wasn't over for another 15 minutes. Suddenly, Asuna abruptly stood up and pushed her chair in, and excused herself without saying a word to the teacher.

Knowing what was running through her head, Kazuto went up to the teacher, who had also been hearing about the rumors between the students. He knew better not to believe the silly lies. He nodded quitely, letting Kazuto out into the hallway to find her.

Heading down the corridor, he spotted Keiko, who looked distressed. "Keiko! Have you seen Asuna!?" He sprinted towards her, catching his breath.

She nodded. "She came storming down here alone, so Rika went after her. She told me to stay here in case you came by. I think they went up to the roof."

"Alright, I'm going up there."

"Wait!" She grabbed his sleeve, and he stopped. "What's going on? Why's she acting like this?"

"Erm, there's been some... Exaggerated rumors going around about her injury. I think she broke during homeroom when some people were whispering about it."

"Okay." She released her grip and he continued walking down the hallway.

'Take good care of her.' Keiko thought to herself. She texted Rika to say Kazuto was on the way up.

* * *

Rika stroked the back of her best friend, who was curled up against a wall with her head in her knees. Asuna thought to herself in tears while both girls remained silent. 'He probably wants nothing to do with me... Why would anyone want to stay with somebody if it meant getting accused of abuse?' Rain showered over the two of them. Rika had no idea what to do, so seeing Keiko's text gave her some relief.

Soon, Kazuto came bursting up the stairs and through the door, kneeling in front of the two girls. He nodded at Rika, who went back down the stairs and listened through the door.

"Hey, what's wrong, hun? You know those rumors aren't true." He said in a soothing voice, holding her trembling, cold hands.

"You... You don't want anything to do with me, do you?" She sobbed, not able to meet his eyes.

"Hey, why would you ever think that? I told you, I'll always be by your side, through thick and thin." He stroked the back of her head gently.

"B-But, they're accusing you of it all... Why would you possibly want to stay?"

He tilted her chin up to meet his eyes, smiling. "Hey, I don't care what they believe. I know that I love you, and you love me. That's a valid enough reason, isn't it?" He stood her up on her feet, supporting her weight with his arms on her shoulders.

"Y-You don't hate me?" She whispered in uncertainty.

"Of course not." He pulled her into a tight embrace. "I could never hate you, even if I tried."

Wiping away her tears, she leaned her head against his chest and squeezed her arms around his back. They both hugged each other in silence for a while longer. Kazuto rubbed his hand up and down her back, shielding her from the cold rain.

* * *

After arriving back to homeroom some time later, Kazuto asked the teacher if he and Asuna could be excused from school early to sort things out. He happily complied, much to their delight.

Back at Kazuto's house, the two put their bags to the side, and Kazuto sat on the couch with a light sigh of relief. Seeing Kazuto's head leaned back on the sofa, Asuna quietly walked into the kitchen. She put her elbows on the counter and leaned her head over it, rubbing the skin between her eyes. She had gotten a bad headache from distress, and at this rate, it wasn't going away anytime soon. Her eyebrows were furrowed, and she could feel her head throbbing.

Meanwhile, Kazuto was still relaxing on the couch, oblivious to Asuna's frustration in the other room. Wondering where she had gone off to, he turned his head to the right. Nobody stood at the door. He sat up and walked toward the kitchen, her favorite room to admire in every household she set foot in.

Kazuto glanced around the corner and saw Asuna hunched over, appearing to be stressed and in need of comfort. He walked over silently and placed a hand on her shoulder. She shook slightly, startled at the contact, and looked over at him.

"Hey, you feeling alright?" He questioned.

"Just a headache from the stress." She replied flatly, turning her head back towards the countertop.

Wishing he could do more, Kazuto began rubbing her back gently, hoping to relieve some tension. She closed her eyes and let his touch brush away her worries.

"Why didn't you say something? I never realized it was this bad." He led her back into the living room.

"You seemed pretty relaxed, I didn't want to make you get up..." She sat on the sofa. Kazuto wrapped an arm around her waist, putting on the first movie he could find.

"I'd much rather be helping you than be a couch potato. So don't ever think you're a burden, okay?" He said with a goofy grin. She simply nodded and leaned her head on his shoulder.

After a while of laughs and chuckles, Asuna began to fall into a drowsy sleep. Noticing her sluggish posture, he laid her on his lap so her head rested on his legs, facing the television. Kazuto pulled a warm blanket over her shoulders, which she happily curled up into. He continued to stroke her slim shoulders and brushed away the loose strands of silky, chestnut hair from her adorable face.

Both of them were each others safe havens. Always and forever, no matter what might happen.

* * *

 **A/N: Alright, my brain is milked of fluffy side stories. Next chapter will still come out Saturday. Peace! -Harv**


	13. Intrusion

**A/N: Alright, time for some real drama. This plot will probably be developed throughout multiple chapters, so don't be surprised if there are some cliff hangers every now and then. Enjoy for the week, follows and reviews are much appreciated! (Language warning for the next few chapters as well)**

* * *

 _Chapter 13: Intrusion_

Kazuto sat mopishly on the couch, slumped over one of the arms. He was extremely bored, and it drove him crazy. Asuna was at home, probably finishing up homework, while he had absolutely nothing to do It had been about two weeks since they'd seen each other in person, which only added on to Kazuto's insanity. He paced back and forth, thoughts flooded only with her. Asuna most likely felt the exact same way.

He jumped as he heard a loud "ping" from his cell phone. Excitedly, he sprinted towards the kitchen table and opened the message quickly.

 _"Hey, Kirigaya! We're getting together at Dicey Café late tonight, after all the other customers leave! Asuna, Rika, Klein, and Asada will be there too, so don't be late bro!"_

 _\- Keiko Ayano - 9:33 PM_

Kazuto had been to these IRL meetings dozens of times, but it was better than sitting at home hoping for someone to rescue him from boredom. ' _Huh, I wonder why she called me Kirigaya instead of Kazuto. And I don't think I've ever heard her say "bro._ "' Shrugging off the trivial thought, he grabbed a black leather jacket, hopped on his motorcycle, and sped off to the Dicey Café.

* * *

' _God damnit._ ' The man thought to himself. He lowered his dark blue mask to his neck to let out a long, anxious sigh. A devious smile with a light chuckle followed.

' _These bastards are friends. They don't call each other by formal last names. Hopefully it wasn't too suspicious of a message..._ ' He continued to think to himself, when he suddenly felt a sharp, stinging pain in his shin.

"Ouch! Cut it out, you brat!" He hit Rika hard in the gut, knocking the wind out of her. Keiko, desperate, to aid one of her best friends, could only watch from the wooden chair she was tied to by her wrists and ankles.

Meanwhile, Rika was trying to catch her breath again, which was hard with duct tape completely covering her mouth. "Mm Fmm mhhmm, mmHmm Fmm!" Only incoherent muffles emitted from her throat.

"I'm sorry, what was that dear?" The mysterious kidnapper asked cockily, ripping the tape from Rika's mouth violently. She shook her head and ignored the searing pain.

"You won't get away with this, you bastard!" She shouted at his face with all her rage, making even him flinch slightly. He regained his confidence quickly, pulling out Keiko's phone from his pocket and holding it in front of her.

"Oh, but I will, deary. You see, I've already got Kazuto on the way, and then his beloved Asuna will follow." He smirked, and pulled off his mask for his identity to be fully revealed.

"S-... Su..." Both girls stared in horror at the man they both recognized very easily.

"Sugou." They finished in disbelief.

"Don't wear it out." He grinned evilly. Rika and Keiko glared at him with daggers, a mix of rage and fear burning inside both of them.

Finally, Keiko shouted at the top of her lungs. "You... You can't do this! You can't just kill all of us!" She screamed at him, desperately trying to free herself from the restraints.

He pulled out a Glock model 27 pistol from underneath his trench coat, pointing it straight at her. "You're right. I can't do that." He laughed lightly. She could only shrink back in pure terror. "I can't kill you two. I have no reason to. After all, neither of you were involved in the ALO incident, and I have no reason to get revenge on you two." He pocketed the gun again, crossing his arms. "However, I can use you two to lure in the ones I really need." He looked out the window at the street, where bright headlights flooded the road ahead.

* * *

Kazuto pulled up around the corner, parking his dark red motorcycle just a block away from the café. He hopped off the seat, glad to finally see his best friends, and Asuna, once again. He pulled off the helmet and let his jet black hair flow free in the chilly wind.

Jogging lightly down the sidewalk, he glanced at his watch, which read 9:50 PM. ' _Wait a minute._ ' Kazuto thought to himself, slowing his jog into a walk of trepidation. ' _Is the Dicey Café really open this late usually? On second thought, is it even open on Sund-_ ' His thoughts were cut off with a loud "whack," and he collapsed to the concrete in a blur of darkness.

* * *

Meanwhile, Asuna was just wrapping up school work, when she heard her phone vibrate on her bed sheets.

" _Hey, Asuna! The gang is meeting up at Dicey Café, you should come over and hang out with us!_ "

 _\- Kazuto Kirigaya - 9:52 PM_

Hurriedly, she packed the binders and textbooks into her backpack for tomorrow, and without hesitation, 'borrowed' her mother's car keys for the night. ' _Huh, weird._ ' She pondered while driving to their usual meeting spot. ' _Usually he ends his texts with some witty remark. He seemed more enthusiastic than usual, too._ ' Shrugging her shoulders, she continued down the square, guided by the street lamps and the gleaming moonlight.

After about 10 minutes, she got out of the vehicle, and began strolling down the sidewalk to the café. She scanned her surroundings, entranced by the moonlit streets to her left. Asuna's thoughts were interrupted when she heard muffled sounds coming from an alleyway to her right. She peeked around the corner, when she all at once felt a sensation of dizziness and godawful pain in her head, and finally heard a deep snicker.

* * *

Kazuto's eyes stirred when he felt the clasp of metal around his wrists. Drowsily raising his chin slightly, he glanced at the cold, hard restraints that prevented movement in his arms and legs. Then, the moment of panic finally arrived.

' _What the hell? Where am I? Where's Asuna?!_ ' He continued asking himself questions of distress, until an all too familiar voice could be heard.

" _Rise and shine, Kirigaya._ "

Kazuto's eyes darted to the left and the right, trying to find the man who that slimy voice belonged to. He looked straight ahead, to see a glass window. Behind it was an arranged set of levers and buttons, all seemingly color coded. Finally, behind the board, was the kidnapper himself.

"Sugou." He growled, now burning with rage. "Where the hell am I!? What did you do with the others?!" He snapped, desperately trying to free himself from the restraints.

" _My my, someone's feisty today._ " Sugou chuckled from behind the protective shield and through a microphone. " _Hold your horses, tough guy. Your friends aren't hurt too badly. Well, physically, that is._ " A deep, hearty laugh rose from him before continuing. " _Your little Asuna, however, is a different story._ " Kazuto's rage was very noticeable by now. He shook in the metal seat desperately, only to find it was attached to the concrete floor. _"_ _Don't bother trying to wiggle out of there. Or you might feel a little something like this._ "

Kazuto squirmed in pain as jolts of electricity shook his body. The metal chair that conducted the sparks only made it worse. He hadn't even noticed the long, countless wires that were hooked up to the legs of the chair and the restraints on his wrists.

"You bastard. You'll never get away with this." He snarled, regaining composure.

"Oh, but I surely will." Sugou made a noise of contentment, pressing a blue button that lowered a small TV screen just a few feet from Kazuto's face. It blinked on, and a cramped room with concrete walls could be seen. Inside the chamber, was a chestnut-haired girl, squirming to be freed from a metal pole she was tied to.

"Asuna..." Kazuto stared in horror. She seemed to have no idea what was going on, looking around frantically and using all her strength in an attempt to break her own restraints.

" _See, your beloved Asuna just now woke up, thanks to the team I hired to take you two out on the way to the café. Remember the names Johnny Black and XaXa? I was able to reach them in the real world, and they agreed to my plan just like that! How lucky am I?_ " He laughed maniacally before regaining his calmed persona. " _Anyways, I'm going to fill this chamber with a poisonous gas, and you have the almighty privilege of watching her die within five minutes. Now you'll see how little power you really have._ " He cranked a nozzle, and Kazuto could only stare in terror as clouds of gas slowly flowed through the air vents in the ground.

Luckily, Asuna saw this too, and caught on to his plan quickly, despite not knowing who 'he' even was. She used her chin to hook the collar of her pink shirt above her nose, acting like a mask. While the air surrounding her was still pure, she took a deep breath and waited to see what would happen next.

' _Asuna is a smart girl. She'll stall the gas for as long as possible. I have to meet her halfway and get her out of there, quickly._ ' Kazuto thought to himself, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

Escaping was the challenge. He tried to wriggle his wrists out of the ropes, without Sugou noticing. If he did, he would most likely be electrocuted even more powerfully. His whole body ached and burned from the first time; it would be difficult just to walk to wherever she was. After a couple minutes of tugging on the restraints, he finally managed to make the ropes loose enough to slide his wrists out.

' _Now or never._ ' Was Kazuto's final thought before he darted up, using his freed hands to slip off his shoes in an instant and hop out of the ropes against his ankles. He made a mad dash to the glass, and without a moment of hesitation, carried the small television and smashed it through the glass, giving Sugou nasty cuts in the process. He tackled him, using one of the loosened ropes on his hand to hook it around his neck and strangle him.

"Turn the gas off now, and tell me where she is you bastard!" He screamed. Kazuto was now on top of the kidnapper, who was desperately trying to pull the rope away from his throat.

"Ha... You dumbass... Did you really think... I'd create a way to stop it?" He managed to choke out before passing out from the lack of oxygen.

"You son of a..." Kazuto muttered, violently letting go of the rope and letting his head hit the ground with a thud. He had just under a minute to find Asuna before the gas took effect on her body.

* * *

Meanwhile, Asuna was screaming on the inside for breath, but she knew she had to stay strong until he came to help her. At least, she hoped that was the case.

She looked around frantically for something that might just save her. She tried to wriggle out of the restraints and loosen it's grip, remembering the time Kazuto had told her about that handy skill during one of his nerdy lectures. Asuna was able to free a hand eventually, freeing her other hand as well. She ducked down to untie her ankles, while slowly running out of oxygen.

Using all her strength, she pushed open a wooden door, only to find the other rooms in the underground labyrinth were filled with gas through the air vents as well. Hitting the wall in frustration, she walked with her hand on the wall down a long corridor. It was barely lit with faint, red lights that blinked on and off repeatedly. Finally, she felt her legs give out, collapsing to the ground, taking deep inhales of the toxins in the process.

"K-...Kazu..." Was all she managed to choke out when she was engulfed in a spell of darkness.

* * *

 **A/N: Read next week to find out what happens next! I've been waiting a while to get into a more intense drama like this, so let me know how I did for my first time. Also, sorry for the cliffhanger, but if I had compiled this plot into a single chapter, it would probably be around 6k words. Thank you for reading, see you later! -Harv**


	14. Anticipation

**A/N: Let's get right into it, folks! Thank you for the reviews left so far, don't hesitate to leave more :)**

* * *

 _Chapter 14: Anticipation_

"... _Beep_..."

He picked up the pace, limping from the searing pain in his ankles.

"... _Beep..._ "

Red lights flared on and off, barely illuminating the dank corridor. Kazuto held his fabric collar over his nose, keeping out the harmful toxins in the atmosphere.

" _..._ _Beep_..."

Kazuto's eyes widened. He struggled to prevent a gasp from escaping his throat, or he might waste oxygen. There she was.

 _"_ Asuna..." He hobbled as quickly as possible to her limp, frail body, collapsed on the freezing concrete. He tried to shake her awake, but she was out cold from the low oxygen levels in the underground tunnel.

Kazuto picked her up carefully, resting her limp head against his shoulder and hooking his legs under her knees for support. He used his right hand to close her her lips that were slightly ajar, hoping to slow down the chemicals from causing harm to her state.

He made a dash to the exit, where he had barged in about a minute ago. His oxygen levels were running low himself, but he soldiered on and practically dragged himself against the wall. Finally, he was engulfed in that familiar, midnight air. Kazuto sprinted up a short set of stairs and back onto the surface, heaving roughly for breath.

But this wasn't a victory yet, he knew. Eyes darting back down to the innocent girl in his arms, he saw her chest rising and falling, which soon turned into a violent fit of hacking and coughing. ' _Damnit, I didn't get to her in time_...' Knowing it wasn't the time to feel pity for himself, he quickly leaned her against the brick wall and pulled out her cell phone. He dialed 911, notifying the emergency services of their situation, location, and names. They would arrive within three minutes if he was lucky.

Meanwhile, Asuna was awake and alert, but probably wished she wasn't. Her insides burned and she felt like all the air had been sucked out of her lungs, leaving her to cough up what she could manage. Kazuto could only hold her close and keep her outsides warm, rubbing her back and her stomach at the same time in hopes for someone to arrive.

And to his joy, they finally did.

Sirens wailed deafeningly, but he would prefer it any day over Asuna's sounds of pure suffering. A team of paramedics with blue uniforms professionally hopped out of the ambulance just before it came to an abrupt halt.

With what little strength he had left, he moved his pained girlfriend to let two of the men lay her out on a stretcher. They lifted her into the bright, flashing vehicle, and soon the other medics emerged to help Kazuto himself. Noticing the burn marks on his ankles and wrists, two of them supported his weight and carried him to sit inside the vehicle with the stretcher.

Paramedics frantically darted back in forth in the vehicle. Kazuto realized they were trying to figure out the substance that entered her body, which if not done quickly, could very possibly stop her heart.

Kazuto was sitting drowsily on the bench inside the ambulance with a gas mask around his face, being bandaged by an emergency doctor. Despite the pain, he could only stare in horror at the situation playing out in front of him.

The fading scene from the dark, suffocating corridor replayed in his mind again. He remembered glancing at the room she was held captive in for who knows how long. ' _Why did that place have to be her last_?' Closing his eyes in despair, he continued to watch the memory run through his mind.

' _Wait a minute..._ ' He blinked his eyes open, spacing out in order to concentrate harder. ' _COCl2_...' It was printed right there on the door, just outside the chamber she was trapped inside. ' _COCl2... CO... Cl..._ ' He struggled to remember what the unusual chemical combination meant. Kazuto repeated the letters and single subscript in his brain, until finally-

"Phosgene!" His whole body jumped with the shout from his throat, startling the medics surrounding him inside the vehicle. "She inhaled Phosgene in there..." Kazuto lowered his volume when he realized there was no sound or movement in the vehicle but the rapid breathing from Asuna and the wailing sirens.

Suddenly, all the paramedics seemed to have the same train of though at once. "Get the equipment out from the cabinet! Strap the oxygen chamber on now!" One of the lead doctors ordered with a booming voice. The medics were already one step ahead. One of them placed a mask connected to a tank on Asuna's face, while the others worked buttons and nozzles to initiate the process.

"Good job, kid." Kazuto was awoken from his trance, staring at the doctor with his mouth open. "We have certain protocols for different substances, so you've given us a solid advantage."

After Kazuto was bandaged on the wrists, ankles, and arms, the driver sped off to the hospital, plowing through traffic and red lights. Meanwhile, Kazuto was given a blanket for warmth, seeing how his jacket was practically shredded from recklessly hurling himself through a glass window. However, nothing could keep him warm knowing Asuna could be in great danger. The whole ride was painful for the both the paramedics and Kazuto. Without any medical experience whatsoever, he could only watch her chest rapidly rise and fall, her twitching body expressing nothing but pain. He scooted over to take her hand in both of his gently, calming her nerves and stopping the shaking in her freezing hands. The doctors only smiled, and continued the frantic work of saving his beloved girlfriend.

* * *

The ticking noise of the clock on the wall drove Kazuto insane. He sat on a cushioned sofa outside an operating room, which had an illuminated sign to show Asuna's surgical operation was in progress. Every second that ticked by was one second closer to happiness or heartbreak.

He was given little information on her condition and procedure, considering that he wasn't direct family or a guardian. His nail-bitten fingers tapped the arms of the chair in anxiety. His leg vibrated up and down in nervousness and unease, even when he heard the familiar tapping of high heels on the tiled, hospital floor.

"H-Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Yuuki." Kazuto managed to push out. Their arrival only added more tension to his situation.

"Evening, Kazuto. I hope you're doing alright." Shouzou gave a weak smile. Kazuto could tell he was already informed of Asuna's condition, so he gave an empty nod in response.

"We apologize for not coming sooner. The nurse called not too long ago, and we left as soon as possible." Kyouko stated, with a slightly depressing tone. Kazuto only continued to tap his fingers on the couch, moving aside to gesture the parents to sit.

After a slightly awkward few minutes in a tense atmosphere, Kazuto broke the silence with his only question for them. "Erm... Do either of you have info on how she's doing, or what's going on in there?"

Shouzou glanced at Kyouko, who gave a nod of affirmation. She answered first. "You see, one of the doctors explained that she breathed in a fatal dose of the substance, but whether she'll walk out of that door is questionable. He did mention that your assistance in the identity of the gas gave them an advantage, but it could only even out the odds because of the severe amount she inhaled. We didn't get as much information on what their procedure for this case is in terms of the operation, but he can explain some of that part." She placed a hand on Shouzou's knee, giving him the cue to jump into the conversation.

He cleared his throat, then began to speak with the most comprehensible language he could manage. "Well, I don't have much expertise in the medical department, but with all the dangers that come with running a company involving neurology and electronic fumes, I decided to take a brief, two month long safety class. If this hospital's procedures are at least somewhat identical to what we were taught, the process is a bit complicated. A process called hemodialysis is initiated, where the surgeons attempt to filter out the blood containing toxins versus the cells that are still pure. She would also get high doses of oxygen using a hyperbaric pressure chamber. They might also have to operate on internal organs if any of them have a trace of the toxins. For the most part, that's all the surgeons can do when it comes down to it. The rest is up to her."

Looking at the ground, Kazuto nodded, understanding the medical jargon for the most part. All they could do was wait for the nurse to greet them at the door with her present condition.

It was now close to five minutes before midnight. Kazuto was lucky that school was let out for a week long vacation days ago. Leaning his head back, he finally realized another major problem was at hand.

"Sugou..." He growled, just loud enough for the married couple sitting beside him to barely hear.

"Ah, him... Honestly, we never thought we'd hear from him again..." Taking a gulp, Kyouko continued.

"According to our confidential sources, he managed to escape a questioning session by assaulting the guard that supervised him. He managed to find the abandoned subway tunnel you were in, and stole a switch panel from the company's testing facilities. As for how he got his hands on the Phosgene, we still have no clue."

Kazuto gritted his teeth more roughly, but Shouzou stepped in. "As for his whereabouts now, he is being interrogated by the police. Luckily, they got to the site right after your ambulance left, where he was just recovering from your assault." He outstretched his hand, giving a weak grin. "I must thank you, kiddo. You've managed to save her once again."

Kazuto smiled faintly as well. He knew the dire problem at hand, but for now, all he could do was wait. At least he would finally be able to gain acceptance from her parents.

He lifted his head to meet his appreciative gaze, and grasped his hand, shaking it firmly.

"If it means she'll be alright, I'd re-live it in a heartbeat."

* * *

 **A/N: It's not over yet! Tune in next week to see how this all plays out. Also, stop saying I can't kill Asuna, I am the god of this story! xD Seriously though, I hope you enjoyed, favorite and follow for upcoming chapter next Saturday. -Harv**


	15. Aftermath

**A/N: Bonjour! Before we start, I'd like to point out that the previous chapter (14) was released a day late. If you missed it and are about to read this one (15), I would highly recommend reading chapter 14 first. Without further ado, enjoy! :)**

* * *

 _Chapter 15: Aftermath_

Kazuto's foot continued its rhythmic tapping against the tile floor of the hospital.

He hadn't been surrounded by an atmosphere this tense since he and the group of floor clearers stood outside the 75th floor boss room. Even so, the sensation of his wonderful girlfriend's delicate fingers entwined with his own eased his nerves until they entered. Kazuto tried to feel her imaginary warmth against his sweaty, empty hands.

Once again, he sat in solitude outside the large operating room. At least, it seemed to be capacious from an external view. It was probably crammed with medical equipment, giving the doctors an uncomfortable amount of personal space. However, that wouldn't be their top concern by a long shot.

It would still be the beautiful teenage girl, being kept alive by powerful medical equipment and her own stubborn will.

Kazuto's thoughts were interrupted by footsteps once again. This time, it seemed to belong to multiple people. Shouzou and Kyouko were busy filling out papers in the hospital's lobby, so it couldn't have been them. Turning his head to the left in curiosity, he let out a quiet gasp.

"R-Rika!?"

She gave a cute chuckle, using a thumb to gesture his gaze to the group of friends behind her.

"Wha-..." Just the picture of them was somewhat surprising, but at the same time relaxing. The whole gang -Rika, Keiko, Klein, Sinon, and Suguha- followed behind her.

"Seriously, did ya really think we weren't gonna stop by?" Klein gave a hearty smile, punching Kazuto on the shoulder playfully.

"I mean... It's gotta be way past midnight already..." He grinned weakly, secretly feeling relieved that the tense atmosphere felt much more pleasant now.

"So what?" Rika flicked him on the forehead. "Just because we aren't _dating_ her doesn't mean we can't be concerned!" The tight-knit group of friends laughed, until Kazuto realized something.

"Wait, were you guys involved with... _his_ scheme?" He growled, not wanting to mention the scoundrel's name.

Now, Sinon was the one who spoke, with her cool and relaxing voice. "Well, Rika and Keiko were the only ones really. The police told us what happened after they arrested Sugou, so we left and soon as we could." She stomped up to him, grabbing his sleeves. "Speaking of which, why aren't you on a hospital bed right now? One of the officers said you got electrocuted or something." Sinon continued to inspect the bandages on Kazuto's wrists, one eyebrow raised in confusion.

"W-Well..." Kazuto mumbled, startled by her touch. "Apparently they were only first degree burns. The generator he used to power the wires wasn't very powerful."

After some of them sat beside Kazuto on the couch while the others leaned against the wall, their eyes intently focused on the metal door ahead.

Keiko broke the silence after a few minutes. "So, the procedure is finishing soon, right?" She folded her hands, praying inside that Asuna would walk out unharmed.

"Y-Yeah... Just a few more minutes if everything is on schedule..." Kazuto looked towards the ground in distress.

Noticing his glum expression, Suguha placed a hand on his shoulder while sitting next to him. "Hey, don't worry, big brother. We'll be here for you, no matter what happens."

"Yeah!" Klein patted his other shoulder, smiling. "She's our friend too, no need to go through all of this alone."

Soon enough, the six friends pulled together into a group hug. Kazuto's nerves eased, until they heard a lock unclick nearby.

A brunette nurse walked out with a clipboard wearing a light blue lab coat and a mask pulled down. She gave a respectful bow, followed by an outstretched hand.

"Hello, pardon the interruption. My name's Hiyori, and I oversaw the treatment for today's incident. Would one of you happen to be Kirigaya Kazuto?"

The group separated, allowing Kazuto access to the front of the bunch. He shook her hand and bowed back.

"That'd be me, ma'am. May I ask how Asuna's doing?" He let out the question everyone had been wondering for hours without hesitation.

Clearing her throat, she looked down quietly and giggled. "Goodness, I don't think I've seen anything like that in my time here. I'll explain while the procedure completes the final stages. Your friend wasn't looking to great in the beginning, she almost went into cardiac arrest at one point. However, she managed to power through the painful operation on her lungs. We gave her an anesthesia so we could filter out the toxins through a tube, but I'm sure she could barely breath throughout it. Your friend must be pretty stubborn, huh?" The group laughed and snickered before she continued.

"I'm pleased to inform you that your friend will be alright. Our oxygen machine should be finishing up right about now, so she's probably still awake." Hiyori glanced behind Kazuto at his large group of friends.

"Unfortunately, I can only let one of you in, considering how crammed the room is with equipment. The doctors will give you some privacy before we perform some final tests in the morning.

Turning around, Kazuto gave a questioning look to his friends. Klein pushed him forward slightly. "Get in there, pal. Tell her we said hi!" The rest of them gave noises of affirmation. Kazuto nodded, heading into the room while Hiyori closed the door behind him.

Once inside, he marveled at the complex machinery that lined the walls. They beeped quietly, missions completed at last.

In the middle of it all, lying down with a hand at her side, was the chestnut-haired girl he loved like no other.

"Asuna..." He managed to exhale out, closing the space between them. Her eyes fluttered open before giving a radiant smile.

"Kazuto..." Their outstretched fingers entwined. Her warm touch melted all his worries away in an instant.

The bed she laid upon was raised at an angle to make it easier for her to breath. Kazuto rested on the side, careful not to touch the bandages that covered her chest. He wrapped her in a gentle embrace, squeezing her limp body.

"Are you feeling alright?" He asked, holding her up with an arm around her back.

"Mhm..." She made a quiet noise of affirmation. "Just really... Tired..." She hugged him closer, snuggling against his warm coat.

Putting both of them in a more comfortable position, Kazuto slid underneath the covers with Asuna to lay her head on his chest.

"K-Kazuto..." She groaned in embarrassment. "Are you... Even allowed... To do that?" She questioned.

"Relax, it's fine. They aren't doing any testing until the morning anyways." He slung an arm around her shoulder and pulled the covers up closer. "Besides, it's already past midnight, so I'm sure none of the doctors are still here."

Bringing up the thought made his eyelids heavy. He had been waiting for her operation to finish for hours. Even if he had gone home to sleep, his thoughts would only be clouded with anxiety.

A short moment of silence followed. Kazuto had a much stronger sense of appreciation for the light breaths coming from his girlfriend. It soothed him to watch her chest fall and rise with a slow, quiet rhythm. He turned more to plant a kiss atop her head, making her eyes flutter open to grasp his hand.

Focusing her vision more, she frowned slightly. It certainly didn't go unnoticed by Kazuto.

"Something bothering you?" He lifted his head to observe her expression.

"Your hand... Does it hurt?" She drowsily picked up his wrist to poke at the bandage cloth.

"Don't worry about it." He reassured her. "It's only first degree burns." Asuna continued to look up at him with concern.

"Okay..." She continued. "But how did... It happen?"

"Well if I tell you now, you'll forget." Kazuto smirked. "I'll explain everything when I pick you up in the afternoon. Right now, just sleep."

Sighing in defeat, she snuggled into his side, finally allowing sleep to blanket her mind.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed! I've been getting feedback saying my chapters are a bit too short. Trust me, I'm trying xD. Maybe they just need a bit more detail or dialogue, I'll think about it for next week. I'll admit this one was rushed because I'm at Pax East this weekend. Also yay, Asuna lives! -Harv**


	16. Habit

**A/N: I'm back, and we hit over 12,000 views! :D I figured it would be such a waste for this story to just end, so I'm bringing it back. I've deleted the previous chapter 16 so it doesn't "end" anymore, and I'll be continuing the story from where we left off. Pardon my writing, I've just finished up working this year and haven't written much for a couple months. This will be a laid back chapter, and fluffy as per usual. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 16: Habit_

Seven days had passed since the incident with Sugou, and Asuna had finally been discharged from the hospital yet again. Kazuto was relieved that she was okay, and that everything was resolved.

Well, almost everything.

In three days, the two would have to appear in court for a trial. Since both of them suffered injuries from Sugou, both of them would have to participate. Kazuto had been to a fair share of court trials, usually as a witness for anything related to SAO. Asuna too, for she often accompanied her mother and father to cases regarding the ALO incident.

Neither of them were too stressed about the trial anyways. The couple was given a few days to relax beforehand, and they sure as hell weren't going to spend that time worrying.

* * *

Kazuto leaned back with a sigh and rested his feet on the coffee table. He wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's waist, who was sitting on his right. Asuna, glad to finally have some peace and quiet, snuggled closer into his embrace. She was wearing a light gray sweatshirt from Tokyo University, and a loose pair of navy blue pants. Meanwhile, Kazuto wore his casual black sweatpants with a dark gray tank top. He held a plastic bowl of popcorn with his free hand and turned on a romantic comedy for them to watch.

To most, it may have seemed like a cheap excuse for a date, but to them it was heaven on earth. Whether it was eating expensive meals at a gourmet restaurant, or just cuddling on the couch and watching movies, neither of them cared as long as they were alone with the other.

Asuna was watching the movie somewhat intently, occasionally picking at a few pieces of popcorn. Kazuto however, focused more on his significant other, wanting to appreciate every moment they had together. Once Asuna turned her focus away from the movie to briefly check on him, she accidentally met his gaze and blushed.

"J-Jeez, focus on the movie you dummy..." She muttered.

"That'll be difficult, sorry hun." Kazuto smirked, making her face even redder.

"Do you even know what we're watching?"

"Well, it seems we're watching two different things-" She punched him on the arm to send a message. "Ah... alright alright, I get it."

"I don't think you do." A light bulb went off in her head. She pulled his arm away from her waist and returned it to his side, then scooted to the opposite end of the sofa.

"W-Wait, what're you doing?" He reached out to her but she pushed his hand away.

"Teaching you a lesson about ogling your girlfriend." Asuna pouted. As much as she hated this feeling of isolation, something had to be done to fix his habits.

"I don't ogle... it's just... admiration?" He laughed nervously, but stopped when she shot him another glare.

"Seriously, it's one thing to stare at me on a date, but you do it at school too!" She pouted and crossed her arms. Now that he thought about it, that was indeed becoming a bad habit of his. There were times that he could barely focus on the teacher because she had a seat next to a window, letting the radiant sunlight enhance her complexion.

Bringing himself back to reality, he glanced to the side at Asuna, who was trying her best to pretend their situation didn't affect her. Kazuto knew that she hated being apart as much as he did, so one of them would have to give in soon. "Okay okay, I admit that it's a problem. I'll pay attention to the movie from now on." Even though Asuna knew he was probably lying, she couldn't resist. She inched closer to him, leaning her head on his shoulder again. This time, he used both hands to hold their bowl of popcorn, careful not to tempt himself to stare at her.

"So," Asuna spoke after they were fully nestled together under a soft blanket. "You really don't know what movie this is?"

"Uh, all romantic comedies seem the same to be honest. Isn't there just a big argument that ends in a cheesy way?"

"Oh Kazu-zu, you have so much to learn." She teased. "This is The Fault In Our Stars. No big argument, and definitely no cheesy ending."

"Well, guess I'll just have to take your word for that." Kazuto chuckled and leaned his head on hers.

Once the movie had finished, his views on romantic films had changed drastically. Asuna had checked to see his expression once the credits began to roll, only to see him leaning forward with his elbows on his knees.

"Wh-What?! That can't be the end!" He exclaimed, seeming somewhat flustered.

"Yep, not all romantic comedies have cheesy endings." Asuna smirked, proving him wrong yet again.

"But- Hazel- and, and he- GAH!" Kazuto continued to obsess over the tragic ending, while she walked into the kitchen to clean the emptied popcorn dish. When she returned to the living room, he was sniffling with a quivering lip.

"Aww, poor you." Asuna picked the blanket up from the floor and wrapped it cozily around both of them, then handed him a tissue.

"N-Now that I know that's actually how it ends, it's really sad..." He mumbled. She was surprised at his sensitivity, but, regardless, continued to rock him in her arms.

"See why it's better to pay attention to the movie now?" She ran her hand through his jet black hair while he cuddled in her embrace.

"No, I'd still prefer you." Asuna lightly flicked his nose, only to make him lean up to peck her cheek. Soon it turned into a series of light kisses on the lips, to which she responded eagerly.

Perhaps, the hard times were finally coming to an end.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed my John Green reference, you can never go wrong with movie dates. I can't promise when chapter 17 will be, but it is certainly in the works. As for my other story, The Ascension, I may put that on hold until I get a writer's block for this one. Thank you for reading and to everyone who has followed, favorited, and reviewed! -Harv**


	17. Family

_Chapter 17: Family_

Kazuto's eyes opened to a familiar sunlight. He stretched both arms above his head and let out a heavy yawn, then pulled the bed sheets back over his shoulders. Just as he was about to fall back asleep, he opened one eye at strange feeling of something missing. His gaze slowly shifted to the empty space next to his body.

 _Where was Asuna?_

He felt the spot with his hand. It was still warm, and not to mention, faintly held her strawberry-vanilla scent. Kazuto groaned at the lack of her presence. Whenever Asuna slept over, she would always whisper in his ear and lightly shake him until he woke up. Had he really been that stubborn to get out of bed?  
After a few moments of indecision, he finally trudged out from under the blankets and put both feet on the hardwood floor. He rubbed his eyes with the side of his hand and made his way downstairs. Then, a magnificent aroma flooded his senses.

He picked up the pace and shuffled down the hallway. Once he could make out the unquestionable smell of beef stew, he bolted down the stairs, and tripped on the second to last step.

Kazuto came crashing down on his left arm quite comically, causing a loud "thud" to echo throughout the house. Across the room, he slowly raised his head to see Asuna staring at him, eyes wide open.

"Um... good morning?"

Hearing the confusion in her tone, he chuckled lightly and pushed himself to his feet.

"Heh... morning, Asuna."

He rubbed his sore arm and walked to her while she wiped her hands with a blue dish towel. When the distance between them finally closed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pecked his cheek.

"So, I assume you know what I'm cooking already." She giggled. Kazuto wrapped his arms around her back and stared up at the ceiling.

"Well, I can't resist your beef stew... is it almost done?" He asked eagerly.

"Sorry hun, not even close. These dishes take all day to cook properly."

"Will I get food poisoning if I eat now or something?"

Asuna flicked him on the nose and sighed. She put her stirring spoon in the sink and undid the straps of her apron. Kazuto turned on the water and began washing the dishes with a sponge.

Even though she had insisted, he always cleaned the dishes for Asuna after she finished cooking. On the rare days when Kazuto made breakfast for her, she would clean up for him. Although, the only things he could cook were omelettes, soups, and saimin.

When the last bowl was placed on the dish rack, he grabbed two mugs out of the cabinet above his head. One was black with a white pattern, the other was a cream color with red outlines. They had bought the cups at a Sword Art Online merchandise store meant for players who missed their old aesthetic.

Kazuto filled both mugs with a decaffeinated coffee and blended it with a caramel cream. He brought both cups to the kotatsu in the living room and sat down next to Asuna. They nestled under the blanket and sat on small, square cushions.

There were two more days until the court trial with Sugou. Until then, all the couple wanted to do was relax and be alone together. No drama, danger, or worries to ruin their break. That is, until they heard the doorbell ring.

"Ugh, it's 7 AM. Who is that?" Kazuto groaned and pressed his forehead to the table.

"How should I know? It's not _my_ house." Asuna teased, making him groan once again.

"SUGU!" He shouted throughout the house. "GET THE DOOR SUGUUU!"

The doorbell rang again. They heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and then a pillow hit Kazuto smack on the forehead from across the room. Sugu trudged towards the door, still in her pajamas.

She opened the door and, after a moment of realization, her mouth and eyes opened wide in surprise.

For a few seconds, she just stood there speechless, mumbling incoherent gibberish. Kazuto glanced away from the news on TV and towards his cousin. "Well, who is it?" He questioned, then looked at the stranger.

No, this was no stranger. He had seen this man before... in pictures, maybe? As he was trying to recall his lean build, slick hair, and thin beard, Sugu interrupted the silence.

"D-DAD!"

She immediately jumped into his arms and gave him a bone crushing hug. He returned it instantly with a big smile.

"Hey lil' princess, I missed ya!" He let her down as Kazuto realized what was happening.

This man was not his real father, but his uncle. In other words, he was Sugu's father and Midori's husband.

Asuna, who was just as surprised as her boyfriend was, nudged his shoulder to pull him back to Earth. After an awkward silence, he sat down his mug and walked towards his uncle, who had just finished greeting Sugu.

"Hey there... Uncle Ken." He scratched the back of his head and let out a nervous laugh.

"Ah, the one and only Kirito!" Ken let out a raspy laugh and shook the his hand. He gave a hearty smile, like one of a gentle giant. "Ah, I'm just teasin'. Watcha up to these days, Kazu?"

As the boy tried to speak, Asuna popped out from behind and gave a radiant grin. She had the kind of smile that didn't even require her to say hello.

All of a sudden, Kazuto's head was pulled underneath Ken's arm, and he ducked low in privacy. "Kazu-boy, who's the girl? Did ya forget to send me a wedding invitation or somethin'?" He chuckled, making Kazuto sigh in desparation.

"That's Asuna, my girlfriend. Now would you let go already?" He gave a nervous smile and was released from his head lock. His uncle walked towards Asuna and shook her hand firmly.

"Hahahh, so you're the one my wife's been going on and on about! Always sayin' how sweet and thoughtful y'are to our boy." Asuna's cheeks turned red while Kazuto and Sugu rolled their eyes.

Ken glanced behind Asuna at the mugs on the table, then towards her appearance. She was still wearing her pajamas, hair in a loose ponytail.

"What, are you two... living' together or something?" She waved her hands frantically and shook her head.

"N-No, nothing like that. I just like to sleepover on the weekends is all..." Asuna rubbed her arms still smiling nervously.

"Eh, ' _sleep_ overs...' I see what ya mean." He winked and elbowed her shoulder lightly, then walked into the living room to sit on the couch. Kazuto just shrugged at Asuna and sat back down at the kotatsu with his sister.

"So dad," Sugu spoke with sparkling eyes. "What're you doing back in town so early? I thought you weren't coming back to Japan for another 5 months!"

Ken set his brown leather jacket onto the arm rest and tapped his fingers on the cushion. "Well, I got called in fer a priority job back 'ere, so I was able to leave early. I'm sure you three know which case I'm talkin' about."

They though in unison, about the only case that had popped up recently. That was, the kidnapping incident with Sugou.

"Kiddies," he grinned. "I'm gonna be yer lawyer."

* * *

 **A/N: Putting Kazuto's uncle in was probably one of my favorite ideas I've had in a while. Yes, he will be developed more, but for now I'll give you a quick overview. I wanted to make him a cool and lovable dad, one who you would be proud to call your father. Ken is basically a teenager stuck in a 50-year old's body. He loves messing around, but can be focused and attentive when needed. If you want to see what my mental-image of him is, click the link in my bio.** **See you next time, thank you for the support! -Harv**


	18. Quivering

**A/N: This will be a bit of a sadder chapter for the couple, but still fluffy :) This was just an idea that popped into my head while reading other hurt/comfort fanfics. I'm very sorry for how short this chapter is, but I'm in a rush and can't help it. Next chapter will be normal length. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 18: Quivering_

That night, Kazuto and Asuna nestled together on the couch. They were laid down facing the television, flipping through various channels and trying to find a decent movie. Kazuto's arms were wrapped snugly around her waist. He hugged her back while she sleepily operated the TV remote.

When she flipped past a certain channel, a light bulb popped into his head.

"Go back a few." He whispered, careful not to wake his uncle who slept in the other room. Asuna obliged and pressed the up arrow three times. He grinned when he saw the name of the movie. "Click that one."

As sleepy as she was, Asuna could still read the title clearly before pressing OK. "Saw? How about no." She groaned.

Kazuto smiled mischievously, then abruptly sat up, catching Asuna off guard.

"What are you doing? It's almost midnight." She looked up at him and yawned.

"C'mon. I've watched more romantic comedies than a guy can handle. I'm just gonna sleep upstairs if you make me watch another one."

She frowned in a sad manner. As much as she couldn't stand horror movies, she hated the empty feeling of sleeping alone even more. That was why she had slept over in the first place.

"...Fine."

Smirking, Kazuto laid back down and got comfortable under the blankets again.

When the movie started, Asuna could already feel her stomach twisting. She never liked the gory scenes, creepy vibes and screaming. Of course, this was one of those movies that had all three.

She knew that Kazuto was already aware of this, so why was he making her watch it? Did he really hate those other movies that much?

Plagued by these thoughts, Asuna continued to suffer throughout the violence and horror for another hour. She could feel her lip quivering constantly and was gripping the blanket tightly. 'No, I have to watch it.' She thought to herself. 'I've been making him sit through way more of this, so it's only fair.'

Her arms shivered under the chilly air until she was finally forced to look away. With tears almost clinging to the corners of her eyes, she turned to face Kazuto and weakly snuggled into the crook of his neck.

Meanwhile, Kazuto had been intently watching one of his favorite movies, when he heard quiet sniffles coming from his girlfriend. He glanced down in concern to see her face hidden under the blanket, shoulders quivering in fear.

No sooner did he realize his terrible mistake.

He quickly reached for the remote and shut the TV off. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry sweetie..." He said over and over again, trying to help her calm down. She only continued to sob quietly, not wanting to show her face. He moved slightly so he hugged her head to his chest comfortably.

"D-Does that meant you're still going to sleep upstairs?" Asuna mumbled in a broken voice.

"Of course not. I never should have made you watch that." He regretted that action deeply. Yes, he knew that she couldn't tolerate those movies, so why did he force her to watch it?

She only shook her head. "No, you've hated sitting through the movies I watch, so it's only... f-fair..." The sound of guilt and apology in her voice was heartbreaking.

"No, hun. I don't hate it. As long as we're alone together, any movie is perfect..." Kazuto spoke from the bottom of his heart. Sure, romantic comedies got old after a few times, but as long as Asuna was happy, he was too. He felt so frustrated that all he could do was rub her back and watch her tremble underneath the blanket.

This was supposed to be a break for the couple, not kind of some stressful punishment. Once the last of her tears were wiped away, he could hear her light snores, then felt her shoulders lie still.

Carefully, he pulled Asuna in further from the edge of the couch, and tucked her into the blanket cozily without waking her up. He continued to rub his hand up and down her arms soothingly, preventing any nightmares from getting through.

Never again would he try to cause her pain like that.

Once he heard the soft coos and mumbles of contentment from her, he nuzzled her cheeks gently and allowed his eyes to rest.

* * *

 **A/N: Again, very sorry for the shortness of this chapter. Yes, this does contribute to the future plot, it's not something I just whipped together on the spot. Thanks for reading, and see you next week. -Harv**


	19. Misgiving

**A/N: Hello readers! Thanks to my followers for sticking around, you guys are the bomb diggity. And if you aren't a follower, thank you so much for reading anyways. I'll never give up on this story, no matter how much time I don't have to write :P. Enjoy this slightly longer chapter that I've thrown together.**

* * *

 _Chapter 19: Misgiving_

Things were quiet in the Kirigaya household. After a long night of unease, Asuna finally decided to go back to go back home and collect herself. She would definitely need some time alone to prepare for the trial tomorrow. Kazuto had no objections and gave her a hug goodbye.

He knew he had messed up last night, just about every part of it. All he could do was hope for her to show up tomorrow and send Sugou to jail once and for all.

Kazuto let out a long sigh and let his shoulders slump. He distracted himself by looking out the window. White snowflakes gently fluttered over the pavement, covering the darkness of the driveway. Small hills of fluffy snow lined the streets where the snowplows had missed. He watched Kyouko's car grow smaller in the distance with Asuna in the front seat.

After a few minutes, Kazuto was pulled back into reality when he heard a small thump and a heavy yawn behind him.

"Hey, kiddy. Watcha thinkin' about?" Ken gave a half grin and patted the cushion next to him, gesturing the teen to take a seat. Kazuto shrugged and plopped down, leaning his head on the back of the sofa.

Kazuto had never been very fond of his uncle, especially with his abrupt personality. But right now, there was no one else he could turn to.

"Girl problems, I'm guessin'?" Ken's voice was mellow and surprisingly sympathetic.

"Um, yeah... How'd you know?" Kazuto questioned suspiciously, considering that they barely knew each other.

"Cause I've worn that look before." Ken stared at the ceiling, lost in thought. "On multiple occasions."

"Well... I sort of hurt my girlfriend. She's the sweetest person in the world, but I made her feel like crap."

The tension between them seemed to be slowly dissipating. Kazuto folded his hands and toyed with his fingers. "Uncle Ken?"

The burly man's head lifted up and looked at his distressed nephew. "What's up?"

"Erm, did you personally choose not to get married?"

Ken chuckled at the fairly random question. "C'mon, I thought we were talkin' about you!" He lightly punched Kazuto's shoulder and sat back with a sigh. "Eh, I guess you ought'a know anyways. I had a serious girlfriend a few years after gettin' out of college. We met at a café near my apartment. Midori was usually the one cookin' lunches for me, but sometimes she was too busy with work, so I went out to eat instead. Anyways, after a few years of dating, I proposed t'her."

"And did she say yes?"

"Oh, a mllion times over. But that wasn't what ruined out engagement." Ken frowned, then pointed at himself.

"It was this guy, right 'ere. At one point when I was plannin' the wedding, so many little things went wrong, and I was mad as hell. She tried to calm me down, but I ended up yellin' right into her face and breakin' our engagement in our own apartment."

Kazuto's eyes widened at his story. Ken refused to look his nephew in the eyes, and continued. "Never stopped thinkin' about that day. I had myself a girl that loved me with all her heart, and I just screwed things up in less than five minutes."

"Uncle Ken, you don-"

"You wanna know what happened t'her? She went into the hospital for overdose."

Kazuto gulped and looked away from Ken. "Poor girl thought it was all 'er fault. Probably 'cause I never once apologized or spoke with her again."

Silence filled the air between the two males. Finally, Ken spoke up with a faint voice.

"Kiddy, does yer girlfriend love you?" He questioned.

"Y-Yeah... More than anything..." Kazuto mumbled, tears clinging to the corners of his eyes.

"Then don't you dare just let those dark thoughts haunt her."

Kazuto nodded. He wouldn't run away from his problems, nor Asuna's. He grabbed a coat from the closet and headed out into the brisk winter air. Hopping onto his motorcycle, he kicked the stand up and made his way to the Yuuki estate.

* * *

The bright rays of sunlight glared onto the shield of Kazuto's black helmet, but he tried not to let it distract him. Even as he screeched around corners and received concerned looks from joggers, he only had one goal in mind. Keep Asuna safe, and pray that she was okay.

After speeding down straightways and anxiously tapping his fingers at red lights, Kazuto finally made his way to her house. It was only a few streets away within running distance, but he couldn't bear to waste time on foot. The raven haired boy quickly yanked off his helmet and parked his bike outside.

Kazuto knocked on the door abruptly, startling Kyouko who was reading the newspaper in the living room. She walked forward and opened the door hesitantly. All that stood before her was a messy-haired teen with a distraught look on his face.

"P-Please, let me see your daughter for a while!" Kazuto exclaimed, bowing deeply to Asuna's mother.

"..."

After what seemed like years, Kyouko finally let out a sigh and gestured for him to come inside. Kazuto exhaled and hung up his leather coat, then practically bolted up the stairs into Asuna's room. Once he reached her door, he gripped the knob tightly, but hesitated to turn it.

' _What's she going to be like in there?_ ' Kazuto worried to himself. ' _I don't hear anything. Is she catching up on sleep? Can she even sleep with something like this on her mind? Is she going to be crying? I guess I have to be prepared for anything._ '

Gently, he turned the knob and peeked inside the cozily decorated room.

His eyes darted towards the bed. No one sleeping in it. The bed was made neatly with a light pink blanket covering a thinner white sheet, along with a few fluffy pillows.

Next, his eyes drifted to the other side of the room, where his chestnut-haired girlfriend sat. She wore a white pair of simple headphones and held a bright fashion magazine. Hearing the door unlock, she swiveled around in her desk chair and pulled her headphones off of her ears.

"Um... Hey there, Kazu." Asuna smiled nervously, unsure of his reason to be at her house without notifying her.

Kazuto let out a long sigh of relief, and glanced at her with a sad smile. She was _fine._ She was _perfect._ He had overthought this whole thing and led himself to believe in worst case scenarios.

Finally, he closed the bedroom door with his back to it, then began to walk across the large room towards his girlfriend. She stood up gently as well, and slowly met him halfway. When they were inches apart, Kazuto hugged her tightly and buried his nose into her ruffled hair. Asuna, slightly concerned by his actions, only hugged his torso and rubbed his back.

"Heh, sorry about this... I was just overthinking something." Kazuto mumbled, not releasing his embrace.

"It's okay. What's going on?" Asuna pecked his cheek lightly and brought him closer.

"I was worried I'd made you feel really bad last night... and that you'd try to hurt yourself or... something." He blinked tears away and his voice began to crack.

"Dummy. That's what you were worried about?" She pressed their foreheads together and met his guilty eyes. He stared into her chestnut orbs and took a deep breath. "I've spent today just relaxing and clearing my mind. So don't you worry about anything like that."

A smile played across Kazuto's lips, and he gently kissed her forehead. Soon, it led to light pecks on the lips, to which Asuna responded eagerly. She gestured for him to lie down on the bed, putting his head on her lap. She ran her fingers through his disheveled hair while Kazuto took deep breaths to relieve his anxiety. When he composed himself, he sat up and rested his head on her shoulder, glad that she was no longer in harm's way.

* * *

 **A/N: Ah, one of my favorite chapters that I've written so far. I have saved the court trial for the next chapter, but first I wanted to develop Uncle Ken's character further. Thank you for reading, and to all of you who have motivated me to keep going with this. I will try to keep putting up chapters, but they probably won't be every single week. See you next time! -Harv**


	20. Wrath

_Chapter 20: Wrath_

Asuna ran a comb through her strawberry-blonde hair and fashioned both ends into braids. As she worked the knots out of the hair that flowed down to her waist, Kazuto carefully brought the braided ends together on the back of her head. Once the work on both of their appearances was done, Kazuto hugged her back and loosely laced their fingers together.

As he laid gentle kisses on her face and nuzzled her cheeks, Asuna simply let her boyfriend have his fun and closed her eyes, loosening her shoulders. For a second, she was worried about wrinkling his tuxedo in the front, but reminded herself that it was the least of their worries.

Asuna wore a white knee-high dress and a black suit jacket that went down to her waist. Meanwhile, Kazuto wore a navy blue suit with a white shirt underneath, followed by a shiny red tie. He rubbed up and down her sides, making sure not to go any lower than where her hips curved outwards.

Sometimes he wondered what would happen if he went any lower than that.

* * *

Hopping into the small family car, Ken revved the engine and set off for the courthouse with Kazuto and Asuna sitting in the back.

While Kazuto adjusted his tie using his phone camera as a mirror, Asuna nudged his shoulder and whispered in his ear.

"Er, I know this may sound rude, but how did your uncle even manage to become a lawyer?" She asked suspiciously.

A cold sweat washed over him. He had to think of an excuse, and fast. "Um... Beats me, I haven't seen him since I was in middle school..."

After a few more seconds of suspicion, his girlfriend simply shrugged, not averting her gaze from the small bump just below Kazuto's chest. ' _Has he been stress eating or something_ _?_ ' She kept to herself an sighed.

"Don't worry about it. I'm sure he knows what he's doing." Kazuto leaned back and fixed his bright red tie once again, trying not to think about worst case scenarios.

* * *

Inside the large hall, the amount of people began to accumulate as rows of benches were slowly filled. This case was a big deal for their small town, after all. The three took a deep breath and sat down on their side of the room, just in front of the judge's seat.

Kazuto purposefully let Asuna sit nearest the wall, mainly so she wouldn't have to constantly worry about the horrific man sitting on the opposite side of the room.

He wore a black suit and a dark red necktie. His glasses seemed so thick that you could barely make out the bandage that covered his nose. Although he showed no sign of emotion, Kazuto himself felt rage festering in his chest.

All Asuna could do was rub his shoulders until he stopped paying attention to Sugou.

Soon, the judge entered from a door in the back of the room, then took her seat in the front center. She was a somewhat old woman, but still had decently good looks. She had jet black hair that went just below her shoulders. Her stern face emitted dignity and authority, sending chills down Asuna's spine. The only other person she knew who could pull off that vibe was her mother, Kyouko.

Once the wooden gavel hit the block several times, the trial had begun. The room went silent while a bailiff swore in everyone present.

"Mr. Noboyuki, where's your lawyer? He is ten minutes late." The judge glared at the empty seat next to the criminal, then back at the tall man.

"It appears he couldn't be present today. Well, I don't expect to be released today anyways." He said with a low voice, meeting the eyes of Ken. He only scoffed in response, waiting for the next move.

"Very well. This court is now in session. The defendant may speak first."

Readjusting the glasses that sat upon his nose, Sugou stood up out of his seat. "I won't defend myself after what I've done. However..."

He slowly left his table and wallked across the room, straight to Ken. Asuna leaned back slightly, feeling herself growing anxious.

Standing before the burly man, he leaned down enough for Ken to hear his whisper, while not looking suspicious.

"I'm grateful you've accepted my offer, Kenneth."

Just above his scruffy beard, he snarled back and bore his teeth at Sugou.

"Don't you... Ever call me that again..." He lowered his head, feeling the blood boil throughout his body. Suddenly, he shot up out of his seat, grabbing Sugou by the tie and pulling his fist back.

"The only one who's allowed t'call me that is Asumi... You son of a bitch!" He pulled his fist back even further, prepared to let it fly right at his nose in a fit of rage.

The judge screamed out from her seat, repeatedly slamming the gavel down. "Mr. Kirigaya! This behavior will not be tolera-"

"Tisk tisk, Kenneth. I thought you'd be more mature than this..." Sugou muttered, still in Ken's firm clutch.

Ken felt something poke his gut. Something cold, barely pushing into his suit.

 _Click._

"M-M'am! Mr. Noboyuki has a gun! One of the jury members cried out, witnessing the scene from a side view and catching a glympse of his .44 Magnum revolver.

With the gun cocked and prepare to fire at the pull of a trigger, Ken froze where he was and took a deep breath. He lowered his fist and let go of Sugou's tie.

"That's a good boy. Now, onto business..." He tilted his arm to the left, and fixating the aim...

Straight at Kazuto.

"You're the little thorn in my side... Always managing to pop up at the worst possible time..." He licked his lips, then pointed the gun towards his chest. "You won't go out the easy way, brat. I'll make sure this is nice and painful for you. You'll even have time to say goodbye to your little fairy there..."

Asuna, who was now hyperventilating from the situation, flinched back and stumbled out of her seat and onto the hardwood floor. She couldn't focus her thoughts. Normally, it would be to stand up to the attacker with Kazuto, but all she could do was watch him through dizzy eyes.

He seemed remarkably calm. She could see a bead of sweat running down his forehead, but made no sudden movement.

"You... You've hurt her beyond what's possible..." Kazuto removed his tie, revealing a dark blade behind the fabric.

It was a small knife, but it was all he needed to carry out his part of the plan.

"NOW!" He screamed.

Ken leaped over the table with ease and gave a smooth chop to Sugou's hand, causing the gun to fly out.

Kazuto used the knife to jab at the taller man, but he dodged them with ease. He delivered a strong right hook to Kazuto's cheek, causing him to fall back onto his rear. Clutching the blade in his hand, he attempted to prop himself up on his elbows, but the pain was excruciating.

Ken backed up, about to ram straight into Sugou and disarm him. As he approached like a bull, he reflexively ducked, sending Ken straight into the wall. He picked his revolver up off the floor and brushed away the dust.

"Damn you... You!" He shook his shoulders, prepared to charge again, until the armed man held his bruised hand out.

"Come one step closer and I shoot this little princess."

Asuna, who was on the ground quaking in fear, prayed this was a nightmare.

He tilted his head slightly, taking a glance at the raven-haired boy that had just shook off his injury.

"You, mothe-"

 _Bang._

Before Kazuto could attack, Sugou had rotated his arm with lightning speed, letting the bullet fly straight into Kazuto's chest.

"-r fucker." He clenched his gut and hunched over, falling to the ground in an instant.

"KAZUTO!" Asuna screamed with tears falling down her face. She tried to crawl over. He was only 20 feet away. Her legs could only freeze in shock.

Dozens of people evacuated the court room yelling loudly. Even if someone had called an ambulance, Kazuto would certainly bleed out before then.

That is, _if_ he was bleeding.

With Sugou turned towards Ken, Kazuto ever so gently reached out to grip his blade without attracting attention. He did his best to stand up straight with wobbly knees.

"Was this your sad attempt to save your beloved Asumi? I figured something like this would happen." He smirked, cocked the gun, and pointed it towards Ken's head.

"Don't be ridiculous... We're just getting started." Ken coughed out, leaning against the railing for support.

Before Sugou could fully turn around, Kazuto darted out of the gun's pathway and stuck the blade straight through his heart.

"You don't know what pain is. This is nothing compared to what you've done." He growled, fire burning in his eyes.

The taller man collapsed to the ground silently.

Ken hobbled over to Kazuto, giving him a weak smile.

"Glad that old thing held up. I was worried there for a second."

Kazuto undid his suit jacket and undershirt. He quickly pulled the kevlar vest out from under his clothes, and made his way over to Asuna.

She sat hunched behind the chairs with her palms covering her face. She trembled uncontrollably out of fear. Kazuto pulled her into a tight embrace, whispering into her ear and rubbing her shoulders.

"Easy there, easy... Everything's okay..."

He felt absolutely terrible about not telling her their plan, but he needed it to be real. If more than only a couple people had been involved, Sugou would definitely have caught on.

Finally, the three of them heard wailing sirens and saw flashing red lights. Kazuto felt a wave of pain flowing to his bruised chest once the adrenaline had cleared out.

"H-Hey, Ken... You wanna take Asuna home for me after this?"

"Kazuto!"

He hunched over again, feeling the waves of nauseating aches black out his surroundings.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks so much for reading my 20th chapter. This story has been so fun to write, especially with the support from you guys. I'll try to get out the next chapter soon, but first will be a *hint hint* special chapter. I personally don't think I'm great at writing action scenes, but this turned out better than I thought it would. Love you guys, see you next time! -Harv**


	21. Undivided

**A/N: Welcome back! I hope all of you had a nice Thanksgiving, or at least made some kind of interaction with the outside world. Before we start, I'd just like to say how thankful I am for all of you. Seriously. If you're ever hesitant to PM me, please don't be. I love getting thoughtful messages from you guys about my writing, and I can't believe how big my audience has increased over the past 11 months (over 20,000 views!). Thank you all again, so enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 21: Undivided_

Kazuto saw flashes of red and blue through closed eyelids. An unpleasant chill ran over the exposed skin on his upper body. He opened his eyes to see dozens of stars overhead, covering his ears to drive out the deafening sirens.

"Ma'am, he's awake!" Ken's voice boomed, signaling a woman who was talking to an officer. She rushed over and looked down at Kazuto. He laid on a grounded stretcher, regaining consciousness bit by bit.

"Sir, please follow the light with your eyes." The nurse shined a flashlight over his head and waved it back and forth, to which he understood and obeyed. "Yep, he's good to go." She motioned for a few paramedics to lift the stretcher into an ambulance.

Kazuto laid drowsily on the stretcher with Ken and another doctor in the vehicle. He tried to recall the situation, when his eyes shot open.

"Uncle Ken! Where's Asuna!?" He panicked, eyes darting around the enclosed space. Ken pushed him back down onto the pillow while the doctor stood up to help.

"Relax, kiddy. Some officers brought her t' the police station for some quick questions, then they'll bring her right over t' see ya. The plan worked out perfectly." He flashed a cheesy smile and a thumbs up, calming Kazuto's nerves. "But don't you go pullin' something like this again, cause I won't be agreein' to it next time."

Kazuto let out a breath of relief. He laid back down on the stretcher and ran a finger over his wounded chest.

"Nursey back there said you probably have a cracked rib, nothin' that can't be fixed. Aren't you glad I stuffed that thing in my suitcase?" Ken pointed to the bulletproof vest, lying on the floor of the vehicle.

"We've got a lot of explaining to do..." Kazuto sighed. He closed his eyes and tried to rest through the wailing sirens.

* * *

Once they were at the hospital, Kazuto was given medicine to help with the dull pain. The doctors had him wear a brace around his upper chest for better support. Ken chuckled when he saw his nephew waddling around the room, adjusting to the strange feeling.

"Don't worry, you'll only have to wear this for a couple of weeks. It'll be off before the holidays." The nurse giggled. "Also, you seem to have a visitor outside."

"Am I allowed to see them now?" He sat back on the bed and folded his hands. She nodded and unlocked the sliding door.

Standing behind was his very own Asuna, who seemed much more disheveled and worn out that her usual elegant appearance. She had changed out of her suit jacket into more casual attire.

"I'll give you two some privacy." The nurse said with a smile. She exited the room and closed the door behind her.

An eerie silence filled the room. Asuna tried to bring herself to speak multiple times, but no words came out of her open mouth. Noticing this, Kazuto took action and gestured for her to next to him on the bed. He wrapped his arms around her lovingly as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Don't scare me like that..." She whimpered as if the slightest move would shatter her.

"I'm so sorry honey, I can explain everything." Kazuto nuzzled her cheeks and tucked her head under his chin. Asuna let her stray tears fall, not worrying about dampening his gown.

After a short while, Ken walked back inside to find them cuddling. Although she expected teasing, Asuna stayed put and looked up at both of them.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" She mumbled with watery eyes.

"Alright, guess now would be a good time to tell you." Ken stuffed his hands in his pockets and rubbed the back of his neck. "Alright, where t' start... So basically, I ain't a lawyer. I'm sure you guessed it. I've got none of those fancy-dancy political skills or whatever. But I am, in fact, a police officer. You see, when Sugou found out he'd be going to court, he looked through some of Kazuto's documentations and found my name. He told me t' fake being yer lawyer and lose the case on purpose. Otherwise, he'd hurt my ex-fiancée, Asumi."

Asuna flinched at his last sentence and her eyes widened. She felt a pair of comforting arms tighten around her.

"Anyways, I wasn't gonna give you kiddies up that easily, so I snuck out a bulletproof vest from my station in America and slapped it on this guy." He smirked proudly and pointed at the black-haired boy.

Asuna snuggled back into her boyfriend's chest and hid her face. "Why didn't you tell me about this?" She muttered in frustration and distress.

"I'm sorry... We needed everyone's reactions to be real. If too many people were involved, Sugou could've caught on and tried to hurt you..." Kazuto kissed her forehead and brought her closer.

"Okay, you two be alone fer a while. I've got a date with the cafeteria." Ken winked and headed back outside.

After a few more minutes of snuggling, Asuna's eyes began to grow weary from exhaustion and stress. Kazuto let her fall asleep in his embrace, knowing she needed to rest after a long week.

At long last, their struggle was finally over.

* * *

 **A/N: Finally finished with this arc of the story. This isn't the end of the fanfic, and I plan to write a better "jumping off" point for next time. In the meantime, I'll be making an extra fluffy Christmas special for the holidays.**

 **Looking back, there were many spots in my writing that could've been approached better. But over the past year (almost), I've enjoyed seeing my work improve. This story has also given me good experience with long stretches of writing, which makes academic writing even easier. It's all thanks to you guys. If I'd never received so much wonderful messages in my inbox and helpful feedback, I would've stopped this many months ago. If you look back in chapter 5, I actually did consider stopping, mainly because writing tends to consume lots of time.**

 **If any of you have an idea or a fantasy for your favorite show, please do consider writing fanfiction. Living For You has brought me so much joy, seeing my wacky imagination being brought to life through Kirito and Asuna. The support has gone beyond what I could ever imagine, and I hope it continues forever.**

 **On another note, many of you have been asking what I'm going to do about Ordinal Scale. I'm planning on writing a separate fic, mainly because I don't know how it could possibly tie in with my own non-canon story. Until I see the movie, nothing is set in stone.**

 **Peace, love, and fluff! -Harv**


	22. Treasure

**A/N: Welcome, and Merry Christmas! I'm putting my chapter out a bit early because I'll be in LA for the holidays. I'll also be going a bit out of my comfort zone (hint hint) in terms of writing, so apologies in advance for any awkwardness. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 22: Treasure_

Kazuto fiddled with the pocket-sized box in his hands, twirling the orange ribbon around his index finger. Taking a deep breath, he pushed up the kickstand on his motorcycle using one foot, and set off for the Dicey Café.

This was the gang's second Christmas party ever since their release from the death game. In the years prior, Kazuto had spent the holidays in solitude, taking advantage of the week-long Christmas updates in his video games. He silently cringed at how much of an introvert he was before meeting Asuna and the others.

A chilling wind pushed against Kazuto's bare neck as he pulled up to the café. He hopped off into the thin layer of snow and locked his helmet onto the bike.

Standing behind the closed wooden door, Kazuto rehearsed his plan for the day. He would small chat with his friends, greeting and hugging his good friends, and give Asuna her gift. After a few more hours of playful banter and silly games, he would let Asuna stay at his house for the weekend. Once they were settled in and the mood was right, then...

Then he would ask her.

Collecting himself, Kazuto pulled the door open, squinting at the colorful lights and streamers hanging on the walls.

Everyone seemed to be sitting around tables towards the center of the room, some sitting on bar stools with drinks in hand. Agil stood behind the counter, wiping a wine glass with a rag. The tall man turned towards the door upon hearing is close with a _click._

"Hey, Kirito! I've got your oolong tea ready back here!"

Rolling his eyes, Kazuto waved back and chuckled to himself. He hung up his coat, revealing a collared, dark red shirt. He ran a hand through his disheveled hair and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

"Hi there, Kazu."

Asuna walked up towards her boyfriend with a radiant grin. She wore a snow white, mid-length dress with a pair of beige heels. Her hair flowed elegantly down her backside, not a single hair out of place. She giggled after noting Kazuto's dumbfounded expression.

"Too much?" She blushed, trying to draw his eyes away from the rest of her figure.

"In a good way." Kazuto rubbed the back of his neck nervously, trying desperately to maintain eye contact. Asuna sighed and closed the gap between them, wrapping her arms around his neck. He eagerly returned the embrace, glad to have a moment of peace with her. Of course, that ended quickly.

"Hey lovebirds!" Rika shouted from a barstool, projecting her voice across the restaurant. "Look up!"

The two lovers gulped, then tilted their heads up to the ceiling. Of course, a certain green plant attached by a ribbon hung just a foot above their heads. Practically everyone pair of eyes in the room was glued to the scene, and everything went silent.

Kazuto's gaze nervously shifted around the room, arms still around Asuna's back. "I-I mean... It's not like it's a rule or anythi-"

Before he could finish, his lips were covered by Asuna's quickly. After a brief moment of shock, Kazuto quickly responded by pulling her closer around the waist.

He wanted to savor every second of that night, his first of many holidays with Asuna in the real world.

The entire restaurant erupted into a fit of hollers and cheers. After a few more eternal seconds, their mouths parted slightly for breath. They lingered with wide grins, inches away from each other's faces. Kazuto could feel the heat radiating from his girlfriend, driving away the unpleasant chill.

Not long after their scene, the couple found themselves in a booth together, sitting across from the notorious Rika and Klein.

"Wow, Asuna! Where'd you pick up those moves?" Rika smirked, poking Asuna's nose with her index finger.

"Sheesh, I bet you guys planned that, didn't you? Those things only happen in the movies!" Klein took another large gulp of his beer.

Once their friends had finally gone to the bar for another round of drinks, Kazuto sighed and put his arm around Asuna's shoulders. She smiled and scooted closer to him, grateful that the tension had dissipated.

"Hey." He poked her cheek playfully, catching her attention. He reached into his other pocket and revealed the small box, holding it out for her to take.

Asuna quietly took hold of the box and pulled off the bowtie, then carefully undid the wrapping. She used one hand to pop the lid off and placed the excess wrapping paper onto the table.

She held one of the earrings in her palm as her other hand covered her mouth.

It was colored white in the shape of a diamond, surrounded by thin, aqua rings. A tiny, sapphire orb hung off the bottom. Waves of nostalgia flooded her senses, reminding her of the iconic rapier she'd wielded for so long in SAO.

"Kazuto..." She whispered, trying to push out her voice. "These are beautiful..."

Asuna placed the jewelry back into the box neatly, then pecked her boyfriend's cheek. He responded by kissing her on the lips with a warm, gentle force. His hand traveled further down her hips by mere centimeters, but it felt like a mile.

Giggling at his timidity, she used her own hand to guide his even further. His arms loosened, feeling less bone and just slightly more flesh. Meanwhile, one of Asuna's hands cupped his cheek, while the other rested below his collarbone. Kazuto pulled his lips away from the kiss and stared into her eyes.

What was this feeling? It was an unfamiliar sensation that both of them were experiencing, needing to be closer to the other. Closer than hugs and kisses. Something that couldn't quite be accomplished through pure words.

Kazuto moved his lips closer to her ear, his cheek pressing against her velvety skin.

"Asuna..." He whispered, just loud enough for her to understand. "Do you think... We could go somewhere more private?"

Although she'd been expecting those words, she still felt a chill run down her spine, unsure of whether it was good or bad. Before she could voice this, Kazuto pulled his head away slightly, allowing her to see his dark orbs once again. She could feel his loving warmth wash her anxiety away.

He had no intentions of hurting her, unlike the men of her past. He made her feel safe. She knew that he would take care of her.

There was nothing to fear anymore.

With an even quieter noise of affirmation, Asuna nodded, and they scurried out of the bar undetected.

* * *

After what seemed like an hour long ride home, Kazuto scanned the house for any of his family members. As he had planned, nobody was home.

Once they were upstairs, he pressed Asuna's back against the bedroom door and removed his jacket. He tilted his head slightly and allowed their lips to locked together in a heat of passion. His hands roamed further towards her rear, lightly gripping the softness in his palm. Asuna moaned against his mouth, letting her hands lift Kazuto's shirt over his head. He winced at the feeling of her cold palms exploring his bare skin. She used one hand to reach behind herself, unzipping the dress and letting it fall to the wooden floor. Kazuto undid the button and fly on his jeans as well.

Next thing they knew, Kazuto was leaning over his girlfriend on the bed, sending light trails of kisses down her neck. He used one hand to reach under her back and undo the bra clasp. Asuna blushed when she looked further down, seeing the arousal through his boxers. As he lightly pecked her cheeks, he stopped abruptly and frowned.

"Asuna... We don't... Have any protection..." He quietly mumbled, ashamed to look her in the eyes.

Asuna gave a sad smile and cupped his face, turning his gaze to meet her own. She used one hand to reach over and open the desk drawer, pulling out a small, square wrapper.

"I was planning on asking you for this tonight, so I bought this just in case. I thought it'd be a nice gift... After what we've been through." She blushed deeply. The worry in his eyes quickly dissipated and turned into a wide grin.

"I love you, Asuna."

"I love you too, Kazuto."

Their lips pressed together once more, beginning their night of passion.

Kazuto was gentle the entire way through, coaxing and comforting her after every movement. He made sure not to be overly aggressive in a way that would frighten her. Asuna did her best to keep herself in check, listening to his soothing words and letting him know if anything felt wrong.

After their love-making, Asuna rested her limp body against Kazuto's, laying her head on his heated chest. He pulled the blankets further up, feeling a pleasant wave of fatigue and drowsiness overcome his thoughts. He wrapped an arm around her nude back and kissed her forehead. The innocent sound of sleepiness she emitted was pure bliss.

Soon, their eyes could stay open no longer, and the need for sleep washed over their minds.

* * *

 **A/N: Well, I think I did alright... Let me know what you think! I've been meaning to write a chapter like this for a while, but never quite found a good opportunity. Hopefully it didn't go too far beyond the original T rating. As always, thanks for reading, and I'll see you again soon. -Harv**


	23. Daybreak

**A/N: Long time, no see.**

 **I've been meaning to write this chapter for a while, but never quite found the free time or motivation for it. This will be the start of a new arc, and I will try my best to release at least one chapter every two weeks. If you'd like to see some more of my writing every week, you can read my other Kirisuna story called _Candles in the Wind._ I will also be answering any Asks in my Tumblr (Harvzy) while I'm on vacation this week.**

 **Now, let me formally apologize for my long hiatus.** **What brought me back, you might ask? Well for one thing, I'm now out of school and have a lot more time to kill. Secondly, I'll sometimes check up on this story's stats whenever I'm bored, and I noticed how close we are to 100 followers. So thank you from the bottom of my heart for the support. I'm so glad I can share my love for Kirito and Asuna with all of you and brighten your days.**

 **Without further ado, let's get on with the fluff.**

* * *

 _Chapter 23: Daybreak_

Kazuto squinted as waves of milky light flooded his vision. He shut his eyes again and groaned quietly, reaching one arm out to close down the shades. However, he stopped abruptly when he perceived the weight that was pinning down his left side.

He let out a light chuckle, recalling the wonderfully passionate night he'd just shared with his treasured Asuna. Her head rested on his chest, gently rising and falling with the rhythm of Kazuto's breathing. He retained his movements and slid his arm back under the covers, then turned to face her. Usually she was the one to wake up first, so he decided to spend a few minutes just admiring her cute, sleeping face. Her light snoring brought a river of warmth to his heart. Using both arms, he turned onto his side and pulled her into his chest, causing her to stir out of her deep slumber.

Becoming aware of her surroundings after a few moments, Asuna buried herself deeper in his embrace and wrapped her arms around his torso. "Good morning." She spoke quietly, a sleepy smile stretched across her lips. Kazuto began to stroke her chestnut hair affectionately, kissing her forehead.

"Good morning, Asuna." He replied, a wide grin on his face. A light blush formed on her face, much to his amusement. They were still completely nude, their bodies only hidden by the white blankets. "Last night felt... amazing."

"Mhm..." Asuna nodded, adjusting slightly to press their foreheads together. She gave Kazuto a gentle peck on the cheek. He lightly kissed her on the lips in return. Soon, it had turned into a small make out session. Kazuto adjusted himself to move over her, causing her blush to deepen. He gently pecked her cheeks, then moved to send trails of kisses down her neck. Asuna let out light moans, lifting his chin to meet her eyes.

She pressed their lips together once again, catching Kazuto by surprise. _Where did this come from?_ He questioned to himself, responding to her kiss eagerly. Her tongue lightly touched his lips, requesting entry. He parted his mouth with ease, allowing their tongues to dance and mingle for dominance. Eventually, they broke apart for air. Their faces lingered mere centimeters away from each other.

"I love you, Asuna. I live for you. Let's stay together forever." He moved to rest on the bed and embraced her once again.

"I love you too, Kazuto... Don't ever leave..." Asuna smiled, nuzzling into his bare chest. They nestled into each other's arms and let out content sighs.

Two hours later, both of them had finished their showers and were fully clothed.

Asuna stood in the kitchen in front of the stove, preparing their breakfasts. She let out a small yelp when a pair of slender arms wrap around her waist.

"H-Hang on... just be patient." She teased, turning around and poking Kazuto's nose lightly. A goofy grin formed on his face as he rested his head on her shoulder.

"Hey," He hugged her closer from behind. It made Asuna feel cozier, being wrapped in the soft fabric of his black sweatshirt. "Think we can go on a date later tonight?"

Asuna's face beamed with excitement. "Sure! Where do you wanna go?" She turned around in his arms, their loving gazes meeting once again.

"There's this nice restaurant in the city that I was looking at. It looks expensive... but I think it would be relaxing after everything that's happened." Kazuto chuckled, pecking her on the cheek. Asuna nodded happily, eager to go anywhere as long as she was with her beloved.

* * *

That night, Kazuto zoomed into the city on his motorcycle with Asuna sitting behind him. She'd always been somewhat afraid of riding motorcycles, but her fear had dissipated after many safe trips with her boyfriend. She also thought of it as an excuse to wrap her arms around his back snugly. Kazuto enjoyed the feeling of her body pressed against his back, knowing that she was safe behind him.

When they finally arrived, Kazuto unbuckled his helmet with a _click,_ then helped Asuna remove hers. Her bright smile was revealed as she fixed her slightly tangled hair.

"That was fun!" She exclaimed cheerfully. Kazuto smirked and wrapped his arm around her thin shoulders. They looked up to see flurries of white snow, falling towards the ground slowly. Groups of friends and couples of all ages lined the sidewalks, illuminated by the golden street lamps and vibrant Christmas decorations. Asuna cupped her hands in front of her mouth and blew lightly, sending a gust of warm air against her face.

"Ready to head inside?" Kazuto asked. She nodded happily in response. He pulled her closer into his arm and kissed her on the forehead, leaving a warm feeling against her light skin. He removed his arm from her shoulders and linked their gloved fingers together, ready to experience another adventure with her.

The inside of the restaurant was lined with red and green lights all over. Green and white wreaths with bright bowties were hooked onto each door, adding to the elaborate display of colors. As they approached their table, Kazuto pulled out Asuna's chair and gestured for her to sit down.

"My, what a gentleman." She giggled, tucking in the bottom of her dress so she could take a seat.

"Anything for my beautiful lady." Kazuto smiled back. He sat down and removed his suit jacket, exposing his white collared shirt and black bowtie.

Once the waiter arrived with the menu, Kazuto's eyes bulged at the prices. He had caught a glimpse of the menu on the restaurant's website, but seeing the prices in person made him feel out of place in such a fine establishment.

He scratched the back of his neck with one hand and gave Asuna a sheepish smile. She let out a sigh and a sympathetic smile formed on her lips. "Alright... we can split the check."

Kazuto felt bad for making her pay as the invitee, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to buy her as many gifts as he'd like to if he paid alone. He reached across the table and gently grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on the back of it as a sign of gratitude. She blushed and retracted her hand as the waiter approached their table.

He seemed somewhat young, maybe around 17 years old. He had dark western styled hair, much shorter than Kazuto's. He looked somewhat short for his age and had a lean appearance.

"Good evening, my name is Ryo. What will you two be having to drink?" He stared at Kazuto first, catching him off guard.

"Um, I'll just have some water, thanks." He stuttered, still feeling nervous about prices. Ryo turned to look at Asuna soon afterwards. Kazuto felt unnerved as he watched him subtly glance up and down Asuna's petite figure.

"I'll have an iced tea, please." Asuna replied smoothly, returning the drink menu. After the waiter had left, she glanced up at Kazuto, who was frowning slightly.

"Jealous?" She smirked, receiving a flustered expression in reply.

"W-What? No, of course not.. I mean..." Kazuto blurted out. Asuna let out a giggle that gave him butterflies in his stomach.

"Dummy, there's no need to be. I'm yours no matter what." She reached forward and poked his nose playfully. He quietly sighed with relief and slumped back into his seat.

Once Ryo had returned with their drinks, Kazuto gulped his water down in hopes to ease his nerves. Within minutes, his glass was almost empty. Meanwhile, Asuna took small sips from her beverage, pacing herself in preparation for their meals.

While making small talk with his girlfriend, Kazuto suddenly felt the urge to use the bathroom after rapidly downing his drink. "Be right back." He winked, leaving the table in search for the restrooms. When he was finished, he lightly splashed the sink water on his face and wiped it with some paper towels.

 _You've got this._ _You've done things a lot more difficult than eating in a fancy restaurant._ Kazuto told himself, giving him a greater sensation of confidence. He exited the restroom quickly, feeling guilty for leaving Asuna to wait alone.

However, as he walked down the hallway, he was abruptly grabbed from behind and violently pulled towards the wall.

 _"Merry Christmas, Black Swordsman."_ A familiar voice whispered in his ear menacingly before releasing his grip and pushing Kazuto back into the corridor.

This wasn't over yet.

* * *

 **A/N: And that's all you'll be getting for now. I will be on vacation for all of this week, so I probably won't release another chapter until the week after. However, as mentioned above, I will be answering any Asks on my Tumblr (Harvzy) while I'm gone. So if you have questions about any of my fics or just want to get to know me better, feel free to send in anything!**

 **See you next time, and thanks for reading. -Harv**


	24. Paranoia

**A/N: Welcome back, and thanks for stopping by. Enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 24: Paranoia_

Kirito's eyes opened slowly. Bright, vivid light flooded his vision as he became aware of his surroundings.

 _Oh, it's our cabin._ He thought to himself, waves of nostalgia from the virtual world flowing through his mind. Neither he nor Asuna had spare time nowadays to play on ALO. A grin spread across his cheeks as he instantly recognized the bedroom he'd shared with Asuna many moons ago. The two large beds remained in the same place they had always been. Although, the couple only ever used one of them for their snuggling and other private affairs. He recalled the moments of passion, intimacy, tenderness, and pure bliss they shared in the final days of SAO. Just reminiscing on those days sent butterflies to his stomach and surges of glee to his heart.

After being lost in his thoughts, Kirito began to wonder when he'd even gotten here. _I don't remember diving in... maybe I fell asleep in the real world, and Asuna put the amusphere on my head when we got home from dinner? Wait, no... she said she wanted to go home and study for exams. So..._ Questions ran through his mind, but the foremost one still lingered.

 _How did I get here?_

Kirito took a few steps forward, readjusting himself to the virtual world he'd neglected for many months. He used two fingers to open his menu, his muscle memory coming into play. _It should say right here when I log-_ He abruptly pulled his hand back when he realized his avatar's appearance on the left hand side.

 _I-It's... my SAO gear!?_ He stammered, stumbling back in shock. His thin, dark coat, pants, and boots were unmistakably his. _What the hell is going on?_ He questioned, vexed and bewildered. He looked back towards his menu and scrambled to find some sort of log out button, only to find it grayed out.

"Damnit..." He mumbled aloud in frustration. Waves of panic threatened to crash over him, but he knew he had to remain calm to get out of this.

"Asuna!" He echoed throughout the house, hoping she wasn't stuck here with him. If this really was another death game, he wouldn't be able to bear the grief if she were to die this time.

There was no reply. Kirito ran quickly throughout the cabin, checking for any sign of Asuna or his friends. Finally, he approached the living room.

A grand, fluorescent tree stood in the center of the room with a gleaming star on the top. Just in front of it was his beloved, chestnut-haired girlfriend, securely tied to a wooden chair.

His eyes widened in horror as a shadow appeared from behind the tree. Ryo's familiar, dark hair was illuminated by the blinking decorations of the tree.

"Merry Christmas, Black Swordsman." His words echoed throughout the room and straight into Kirito's mind. Quickly, he darted towards Asuna to untie her, but to no avail.

In a flash, Ryo whipped out a small handgun, pressing it firmly against the back of Asuna's head. She wailed helplessly, quivering in fear and screaming into the duct tape that sealed her mouth.

For a split second, Ryo's malevolent grin met Kirito's petrified gaze, and a loud _boom_ rang throughout the silent cabin.

* * *

Kazuto shot up in bed, the duvet covers sliding off his body. He struggled to suck air into his lungs through his heavy breathing. He hugged his arms and felt them shaking uncontrollably.

 _A nightmare?_

He thought to himself quietly, noticing his surroundings. Although the lights were still off, the faint moonlight shining through the windows illuminated his computer desk and bookshelves. He looked to his right to find his blinking alarm clock.

"Three in the morning..." Kazuto mumbled to himself, feeling his pulse slow down gently.

He laid back down on the pillows and pulled the covers up to his collarbone. A harsh, bitter feeling that he hadn't experienced in a long time finally returned. Loneliness.

Recently, Asuna had been sleeping over at his house every night. Considering the situation and everything that had occurred within the last few weeks, her parents approved of it. But now that Asuna was at home studying non-stop for her exams, it was harder for that to happen.

For a short while, Kazuto considered calling Asuna. She was just about the only one that could help him fall back asleep after a nightmare like that. But he knew that she was probably exhausted after studying all night and needed some time to rest. He exhaled, wiping away the stray tears that formed in his eyes while he was asleep.

Even if he did call her, it could make things spiral out of control. She would never let him fall back asleep without knowing what caused the nightmares in the first place. Telling her the truth about Ryo... that there was another yet enemy after them in the real world... it would break his heart. Not long ago, she'd gone through the traumatic experience of watching him get shot. Putting even more pressure and paranoia on her mind could be dangerous.

Kazuto slowly closed his eyes, sudden images from his nightmare appearing through the darkness. He knew by now that they were fake, simple figments of his haunted imagination. But something prodding in the back of his mind couldn't help but convince him that they might become reality.

* * *

 _"Good morning, Kazuto!"_

Asuna's cheery voice transmitted through Kazuto's phone speaker, bring him a sense of warmth deep within. He stretched his arms over his head and sat up in bed, rubbing his eyes as white rays of sun clouded his vision.

"Morning, Asuna." He yawned into the phone, feeling his eyelids beginning to droop again.

 _"You're up later than usual. Did you sleep well?"_ Asuna questioned, hints of concern woven into her tone of voice. Kazuto turned his head to look at his alarm clock. 11:30 A.M.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Just lost track of time studying." He blurted out, hoping she wouldn't call his bluff. He heard her let out a quiet sigh in the background.

 _"Since when do you ever study that late? That's my job."_ She teased, earning a chuckle from the other end of the call. _"Anyways, I was thinking we could go out on a date tonight... maybe a movie or something. Sound fun?"_

"Definitely." Kazuto replied, moving to sit on the side of the bed. He put on a navy blue tee shirt and gray sweatpants, then let out another stretched yawn.

 _"Are you sure you're alright? You shouldn't be tired this late in the day, you know."_

"I told you, I'm fine. Now, what movie should we see?"

* * *

That night, the couple stumbled out of the theater, clutching their stomachs in laughter.

"That was the funniest movie I've ever seen!" Kazuto rested against a wall, allowing the rest of his giggles to pass through. Asuna leaned her head on his shoulder, inhaling to catch her breath. Wide grins were visible on their faces, laughing so hard it made their cheeks sore. She wrapped his arms around his torso lightly, as they were still in a public area.

"Want to sleepover at my house for the night? My parents won't be home until tomorrow afternoon." She whispered in an almost seductive manner.

There was nothing Kazuto wanted to do more than comply with her. Every night they spent together was always treasurable and precious, whether it was overly intimate or not. But if he were to have nightmares again, she would surely worry. As thoughts scurried through his mind, Asuna propped her chin up on his shoulder to see his troubled mood.

"What's the matter? Do you not want to come over?" Waves of guilt suddenly invaded his chest, turning to face her somewhat saddened expression. In a fluster, he plastered on a panicked smile and cleared his mind.

"Huh? Of course I do!" Kazuto spat out, not realizing what he'd gotten himself into. Asuna's face lightened up with glee once again, lacing their fingers together and dragging him towards the car in excitement.

After a short drive, they pulled up in the driveway of the Yuuki manor. Kazuto had already been here on a few occasions, but the immense size and regality of the mansion never disappointed his eyes. Asuna grasped his hand once again and led him upstairs to her bedroom. Kazuto closed the door behind them and playfully pulled Asuna onto the bed.

"H-Hey!" She squealed, pinned underneath his lean body.

Kazuto smirked at the slender girl beneath him, feeling giddy and excited to spend the night in her bedroom for the first time. He lightly brushed his fingers against the sides of her abdomen, earning a dainty giggle from his girlfriend. He resumed his actions more intensely, causing her to break out into a fit of laughter.

"Kazu-to... stop it~" Asuna mumbled through her uncontrollable squirming. After a few more moments of amusement, Kazuto retracted his hands and proceeded to lay down atop her body. A blush spread across her cheeks at the sudden contact, but she soon wrapped her arms around his back and the tension in her body dissipated. Noticing this, Kazuto moved his head to rest in the crook of her neck, placing gentle kisses along her neck and shoulders. She let out light, breathless moans underneath his weight, succumbing to the pleasant feeling of his smooth lips against her velvety skin.

After a few minutes, he lifted eyes to lock gazes with her. Her content, amber eyes met his loving, onyx orbs as he let out a sigh.

"I would keep going, but I'm too tired." He smiled and pecked her cheek.

After both of them had changed into their sleeping outfits, Kazuto sleepily made his way under the covers, holding them up as an invitation for Asuna to join him. She complied eagerly, feeling waves of drowsiness overcome her thoughts. Once they were cozily nestled together, Kazuto pressed his lips against hers slowly, wanting to make the most of their night together. After a short while, he pulled away and wrapped his arms around Asuna's thin body and night gown, allowing the fatigue to blanket his mind.

* * *

 **A/N: Thanks for reading, see you within the next two weeks with another chapter! -Harv**


	25. Author's Announcement 2

**ANNOUNCEMENT: This is NOT a chapter update. That will come soon, my kiddies. But right now, I need to discuss a much more important issue that directly correlates to the future of this story.**

* * *

Please note this discussion will be about Net Neutrality. I know you've probably read countless articles and posts fighting for it, urging you to contact your local senator about these things, but please hear me out.

If you are reading this, chances are you enjoy or are at least interested in _Living For You._ If we fail to repeal this act and Net Neutrality is taken away from us, you can kiss the future of this story, and all of my other stories, goodbye. For those that don't already know, one of the perks of Net Neutrality allows people to view entertainment websites such as Fanfiction, Archive of Our Own and Youtube at our own leisure. The repealing of this privilege would mean that these sources of entertainment will no longer be free to us. There's a good chance you will need to purchase a certain package or buy access to these websites, taking all of the money out of our pockets.

I'm _very_ tight on money right now. I may not be able to continue writing for free if this act does officially go into effect, and I personally would rather just not write than force you guys to pay money to read some Kirisuna fluff. The thought that I might have to pay money to take the time and release chapters for you guys is completely absurd to me. Don't get me wrong; writing is my escape from this evil world. But when someone has to pay money to work without receiving anything in return, that's when you know something is wrong.

This is my story with the most followers, so I'm hoping it will reach all of you 100+ people. PLEASE send a message to your local senator. It may feel uncomfortable, but without your help, we may be looking at a loss of several of your favorite fanfiction authors on multiple sites. Visit a website called **BattleForTheNet** to help this cause.

Thank you so much for reading, it makes me so happy to hear how many days I've brightened on a daily basis. Now I'm asking you to help me in return :)

-Harv


	26. Breathe

**A/N:** **I'm back... again!**

 **First off, let me apologize for the huge delay on this chapter. These past few months I've been juggling Eastern districts, 3 AP classes, and managing a snack bar. But my work load has lightened recently, so I've decided to write another chapter for you guys. I apologize if there's another wait before the next chapter; I can't guarantee how long that will take and I don't want to make any promises. Thank you so much to everyone who has left positive reviews and messages, you guys make all of this worth it.**

 **Without further ado, enjoy!**

* * *

 _Chapter 26: Breathe_

"...!"

In one quick movement, Kazuto shot upright in a daze. He glanced around the somewhat familiar room, immediately recognizing his surroundings.

Panting roughly, he spent a few seconds staring blankly at the flowery, white walls of Asuna's bedroom. With a long, shaky sigh of relief, Kazuto relaxed his shoulders and allowed his neck to slacken.

" _Another nightmare..._ " He realized, allowing himself to steadily fall back onto the bed until he rested on his elbow.

Kazuto turned towards the slender, petite figure sleeping beside him, seemingly stirred by his abrupt movements. The blankets made a slight ruffling as Asuna turned to rest on her left side, facing away from him. With a much gentler movement than before, Kazuto pulled the corner of the sheets so his legs were uncovered, wrapping his side of the blankets around his girlfriend. He swung his legs to the edge of the bed and stood up gradually, so as to not let the floorboards to creak underneath his feet.

He made his way to the Yuuki's bathroom, cautiously navigating the grand hallways through the darkness. His navy blue long-sleeve shirt and black sweatpants protected him well from that night's chilly air, but he still sighed at the lack of Asuna's cozy warmth underneath the covers.

Eventually finding his way, Kazuto turned the handles of the sink until a thin trickle of cool water emerged. He cupped his hands and allowed a pool to form underneath the stream, then closed his eyes and splashed it onto his face. After a few more times, he turned around to grab a towel from the closet and pat his face dry. As his face was buried in the soft cloth, he heard a feminine voice from behind.

"Kazu? Are you alright?" Asuna let out a small yawn, standing at the doorway in a thin, pink nightgown and a white sweater. awaiting his response.

All Kazuto could do was stare. He had no words.

How could he possibly tell her the whole truth? It would only fill her mind with the paranoia of another looming threat.

He opened his mouth slightly, hoping his body and mind would automatically push out words to explain everything.

But nothing emerged to break the dead silence.

"Kaz-"

In one swift motion, Kazuto instantly closed the distance between them, embracing Asuna with desperation like he'd never felt before. The detailed, uncannily realistic nightmares of her pain had become too much for him to handle, he now realized.

Something deep within him felt the desire to feel her heartbeat against his body. He knew how intense he was being, how Asuna might have been struggling to move from his overwhelming strength. Yet, he still couldn't help but hold him as closely and tightly as he could manage, so as to not let an enemy lay a finger on her.

Asuna, taken aback by his sudden actions, was about to squirm out of his grasp and question him about everything. But feeling his arms tighten around her body, constricting her movement, made her realize that talking would only hurt him more.

Relaxing into Kazuto's embrace, she moved her arms underneath his and gently stroked his back, signaling to him that she was not going to leave. Burying his face into Asuna's silky, strawberry-blonde hair, Kazuto released the immense tension in his arms, feeling slightly guilty for his abrupt intensity. Asuna closed her eyes, resting her head in the crook of his neck and letting out an exhausted sigh.

They stayed that way for what seemed like an eternity, until Asuna's arm began to grow sore from rubbing his back so much. Kazuto could physically feel the energy draining from her body, remembering that it must have been around 2 or 3 AM.

Just before her mind was about to slip out of consciousness, Asuna suddenly felt his lips pressed against her mouth, desperate for a response. She eventually obliged, mustering up any remaining strength in her body and channeling it into their passionate kiss. After just a short while longer, she could feel his tongue touching her top lip, begging for an entrance. Asuna parted her mouth slightly, feeling his tongue dominating her own in a dance of desperate fervor.

After a few minutes, the heat began to die down. Kazuto slowly pulled away from the girl in his arms, resting his forehead against hers. They panted heavily, not having kissed with such strength since their days in SAO. Opening his eyes slightly, he could see Asuna's drowsy eyes and hear her ragged breath, realizing how exhausted she really was. He slipped his arm underneath her legs, carrying her bridal style back to the bedroom.

He lightly placed her back onto the bed, lifting the covers and tucking her thin frame back into the warm blankets. He walked around the bed and followed suite, slipping underneath and wrapping his arms around her body.

Although the room was almost pitch black, the moonlight seemed to hit her figure in a fascinating way that could only make Kazuto smile with delight. He lingered over her for a few moments, watching her body fall and rise with every deep breath, her heavy eyelids threatening to close in a half-unconscious state.

Normally they would exchange some endearing words before drifting off to bed, but it seemed that Asuna was already on the verge of falling asleep again. Kazuto pulled her closer and allowed her head to rest on his chest, hearing a sleepy sigh that warmed him to his core. Placing a gentle kiss on her forehead, he fell back onto the pillows and joined his beloved in the realm of sleep once again.

* * *

The next morning, Kazuto awoke to the calming sensation of Asuna's hand running through his hair, instantly knowing that it was hers without even looking. He took a deep breath in, allowing her mix of strawberry and vanilla scents to flood his mind.

His eyes gently fluttered open, revealing her petite figure looming over him while sitting on the edge of the bed. His tired gaze met her heartwarming stare. Upon seeing his eyes open, Asuna leaned down and placed a protective kiss on his forehead, tucking him into the silky blankets.

She adjusted his head so that it was leaning upright against the pillow, then reached over to the nightstand to hold a steaming bowl of fresh vegetable soup. She gathered up a healthy spoonful and brought it to his mouth. Kazuto eagerly obliged, clamping down on the metal spoon and feeling the soothingly warm contents slip down his throat.

After the bowl was just about emptied, Asuna noticed Kazuto's eyes begin to grow heavy again. Positioning him so he could lie flat, she pulled the covers up to his collarbone and closed the bedroom curtains, allowing his eyes to rest.

Both of them knew that they had a lot of talking to do, but for now, Asuna just wanted to watch him breathe.

* * *

 **A/N: Hope you enjoyed! This chapter was a bit short, but still important in my opinion. In case you were wondering, I purposely put as little dialogue as possible between Kirito and Asuna to practice writing.**

 **'Til next time! -Harv**


	27. Solace

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm finally in the last stretch of the school year, with only a few more months left to go. Since my workload should be fairly light for another two months or so before finals, I've decided to put a schedule on this story once again. I'm still working out the details, but for now my plan is to release a chapter every Saturday (time of day will vary depending on how much I procrastinate). If I find that this schedule is too stressful, I'll probably just extend it to every other Saturday. Hopefully it'll work out, but I just need something to motivate me to update more often. Enjoy!**

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 _Chapter 27: Solace_

"So, are you going to tell me what that was all about?" Asuna asked with somewhat of a scolding tone, but her boyfriend could sense the solace and sympathy laced through her voice.

Letting out a refreshing sigh, Kazuto adjusted himself to lean upright, resting his back against the wall of Asuna's luxurious bedroom. He extended his right arm and gentle grasped Asuna's hand, giving it a tight squeeze before staring out the window behind them.

A light shower of snow had begun to fall outside. The rays of sun bouncing off the white-covered ground only made it that much brighter. Kazuto turned his attention towards the clock next to Asuna's bed, which displayed '8:15 A.M.' in a digital red text.

Finally, he focused his gaze on Asuna, who was still awaiting any response from him at all.

"Sorry about that. I've been having some nightmares, that's all." He gave her the most comforting smile he could muster up, still slightly scarred by the images from his recurring dreams. Still, his lover could only frown, giving his hand a squeeze back.

"How long?" Asuna asked, her gaze now lowered towards the bed sheets. Kazuto tilted his head in mild confusion, not sure as to what she was referring to specifically.

"What do you mean by that?" He questioned.

"I mean, how long do you think I haven't noticed!?" She blurted out, ripping her hand out of his grasp and balling it up. "Do you think I'm an idiot or something? You haven't been yourself in over two weeks. Even Sugu and your mom have been asking me what's going on. Why the hell do you think I wanted you to sleepover last night in the first place?" She scolded him, raising her voice in frustration and concern. "At first, I thought you were trying to hide something bad. Like doing something illegal, or even cheating on me. But deep down, I had hope that it was just something like this. So I decided to let you sleep here and see if I was right. I mean, I'm glad that I was, but still... I wish you would tell me these things." Her voice began to crack, the skin of her hand beginning to whiten from tightening it so much.

Kazuto was at a loss for words. He could count on his hand the amount of times Asuna had lashed out on him like this. Most of them were back in Aincrad, where she voiced her concerns for his recklessness. Guilt crept up his heart, giving him the urge to tell her everything.

But he just couldn't do that to her again.

"...I know what you're thinking." Asuna piped up, taking a deep breath and bringing back her collected composure. Slightly alarmed that he'd been so obvious, Kazuto met her concerned gaze.

"Y-You do?" He questioned.

"Of course I do, idiot." She smirked with a somewhat saddened smile. "I know that there's more to it than just some nightmares. I know that something happened important that caused them to come back all of a sudden." She explained, making Kazuto marvel at how easily she could analyze his thoughts just by what half-truths he had told her so far. "Look. as much as I hate to say it, I'm not going to force all the details out of you. Clearly you're not quite ready for that yet."

She uncurled her balled up fist and took his hand once again. "...I just want you to know that no matter what it is, even if it seems like the most insignificant thing in the world, I'm here. I'm right here, and I always have been. But the only way you can truly let me help you is by talking to me about this. So please promise that you'll come to me first before you try and do anything stupid like last time." She began to tear up, reminiscing to the last time her beloved had let his sadness take control over himself.

Kazuto too began to tear up, touched by her overwhelming generosity and solace. He gave her a small nod, shifting to squeeze her body into a tight embrace. Asuna returned the hug eagerly, satisfied from letting all of her pent up emotions out to her lover.

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"You're leaving already?" Asuna asked as Kazuto pulled his lips away from her own. He sat up straight and stretched his arms over his head, his beloved girlfriend still laying down on the bed. He checked the time on his phone and grabbed his coat, buttoning up his shirt.

"Sorry hun, but I've got a date with studying." He chuckled, giving her one last peck on the lips. She pouted in disappointment, hoping he would stay for at least another couple of hours.

It was still light out, but the sun was beginning to set on the milky orange horizon. Although Asuna's parents would not be home for another few hours, Kazuto knew he had some other matters to settle that had nothing to do with school.

"Well... okay. Call me when you get home." Asuna replied.

They said their goodbyes and Kazuto exited her house, making his way down the grand staircase and out the electronic front gates. He took a deep breath in, admiring the light breeze of cool air passing along his cheeks. With everything that was happening with his assailant, it felt like years since he had been able to just appreciate everyday, mundane life. It made him forget that there were other people in this world who were living normal, paranoia free lives.

But of course, Kazuto's thoughts were interrupted by the abrupt ringing of his cell phone. Hesitantly, he pulled it out of his pocket and answered the call from the unknown number.

"Kazuto speaking." He answered with a serious tone.

" _Hello again, Black Swordsman._ " The voice replied menacingly. Kazuto leapt out of his serene state of mind and into defense mode once again.

"Ryo... what do you want from me!?" He growled, careful not to be loud enough to alert Asuna from her bedroom.

" _Ah... that doesn't matter right now. But tell me, would you happen to recognize the name 'Minako Tamura'?_ " The man questioned, catching Kazuto off guard.

"No, I haven't. I've never heard that name in my life. Now, will you tell me what the hell you want?" He spat out in frustration and impatience.

" _Huh, that surprises me. Anyways, Kazuto, was it? All I want is an eye for an eye. Talk to you later._ " Ryo hung up abruptly, not giving Kazuto enough time to respond.

' _Shit..._ ' Kazuto cursed quietly, stuffing his phone in his pocket and running both hands through his hair in vexation. He sprinted to his bike parked across the street, speeding home while sorting everything out everything Ryo had just asked.

' _Minako... Tamura?'_

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 **A/N: Thanks for reading, I shall leave you on this cliffhanger for now. See you soon hopefully! -Harv**


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